Old cinemas

Great Yarmouth's Edwardian and inter-war heyday left the Norfolk resort with a fine collection of theatres, music halls and picture houses, several of which still stand along the seafront and in the old town. They are a reminder of an era when holidaymakers expected an evening of variety, newsreels and feature films as part of a week by the sea.

The most prominent survivor is the Hollywood Cinema on Marine Parade, set in a long-standing seafront entertainment building, while the Empire on Marine Parade traces its origins back to 1911 and is one of the oldest purpose-built cinemas still operating in the country. Elsewhere in the town, faded facades, terrazzo entrances and tiled foyers hint at former Regal, Regent and Plaza picture houses that once drew queues along the pavement.

Exploring these buildings makes a rewarding diversion from the Golden Mile, especially when combined with a walk through the Rows and the historic South Quay. They sit alongside the resort's working theatres, including the Hippodrome circus, to tell the story of how Great Yarmouth entertained generations of visitors long before multiplex cinemas arrived.