On 23 March 2026, Norwich City Council and Norwich University of the Arts successfully rescued a historic film projector from the old Hollywood Cinema in Norwich, Norfolk. The 1960s machine was saved just as the building was being knocked down to make way for a new development of homes and shops.
The equipment is a Cinemeccanica Victoria 8 which is about 65 years old and was first released in 1961. According to Cinemeccanica, the model is famous in the movie industry because it can play both 35mm and 70mm film formats. This specific machine was used to show major blockbusters like Star Wars and James Bond movies over many decades at the site.
The cinema originally opened in July 1971 and became a well-known landmark for its unique design on stilts. One of its most famous moments happened on 24 July 2013, when it hosted the world premiere of the film Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa. While the projector was saved with help from DSM Demolition Ltd, a large mural of the Alan Partridge character on the outside of the building could not be moved because the costs were too high.
The projector will now be kept at the university where it will be used by students and shown to the public. This rescue comes as Anglia Square undergoes a £350 million redevelopment to build more than 1,100 new homes. The council has said that although the original mural is gone, they plan to create a new version of it in a different part of the city.
