Sitting in the back row of a Sunderland cinema - when love was on the bill

Cosy double seats were installed in the back of the pictures in Holmeside in 1975.

We love this 1975 romantic tale

They embraced the old-fashioned idea of lovers’ seats and they were being installed in two of the three cinemas being built in the Odeon complex at the time.

There were plans for 15 double seats in the back rows of each of the two 150-seat mini cinemas.

The Sunderland Echo report at the time said the seats were ‘snugly tailored for togetherness’.

Projecting a 70s story

Odeon manager Ray Cook said in 1975: “I think they will prove very popular as they were once in the old cinemas.”

The Odeon was closed for conversion work and once it was completed, it was going to re-open as a triple cinema on March 9, 1975.

The Echo went along to watch the work under way.

It included a 15-ton telescopic crane busy lifting heavy equipment from the projection room, through the roof and about 80 feet to the ground.

Jim was used to climbing 100 steps

It was due to be installed in the new ground floor projection room.

It meant a bit of a change for chief projectionist Jim McIntosh, 62, who had spent 22 of his 40 years in the business at the Odeon’s old projection room.

Every working day since 1953, he was used to climbing more than 100 steps on a tiny spiral staircase up to the projection room to play his part in entertaining the Wearside public.

Tell us if you remember Jim, or the lovers seats, or have memories of the days of 1975 films.

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