The Ritz Belfast (later ABC cinema)

Belfast's first run cinema. "Ireland's wonder theatre"

The 2,200 seater Ritz cinema was built by Union Cinemas, opening in 1936. The architect was Leslie Kemp. For part of its life it was known as the ABC, after the U.K. chain that bought out Union Cinemas.

 With a Compton organ and an associated first floor cafe, the monumental Ritz building survived until relatively recently,  being demolished in 1994. Like many large cinemas it had been subdivided before that.

"Ireland's wonder theatre" is how the early cinema advertisements described it.