MOST of the cinemas of west Wales have disappeared, been demolished or converted to other uses, so a comprehensive history of these forgotten picture houses, published by Y Lolfa, given an amazing insight in to the entertainment world in days gone by.

The Cinemas of West Wales by Alan Phillips records where these cinemas were, gives descriptions of their interiors and programmes, and includes over 100 photographs of what they looked like then, and now.

In Wales, construction of most cinemas took place in 1910 and 1911, although a number of buildings had been converted into cinemas before that.

“In days gone by a weekly visit to the ‘flicks’ was as common as watching the television is today,” said Alan. “It was an adventure and one of the few modes of entertainment available.

“It was a chance to step back in time or to the future, a chance to forget daily toils and, for an hour or two, be transported to a make-believe world.”

But by the 1960s the advent of television and increased running costs caused cinema attendances to decline and several went into financial difficulty.

“Some cinemas or theatres were converted into bingo halls or were used for other uses, such as supermarkets, or eventually demolished,” said Alan.

"Today several cinemas have been taken over by J D Wetherspoon pubs, and they have retained the decor to give us a glimpse of their former glory days.”

A number of Ceredigion’s former cinemas are mentioned in the book.

See this week’s south papers for the full story, available in shops and as a digital edition tomorrow