Widnes was home to a number of cinemas before many cinemas shut their doors, when movie going took a down turn.

The Premier cinema was situated in Albert Road and opened for business on the 14th June 1915 with the film Jewel of Fate.

The proscenium was thirty-five feet wide and ten feet deep. There was also one dressing room.

The building cost nearly four thousand and was opened by the Mayor councillor D. Lewis at 2.30. The sole proprietor was a E R Richards.

The building was 51 feet wide and around 90 feet long. The height was 20 feet. There were five stone steps which led to massive swing doors.

Around the entrance the decorations were in cream and green tiles with hangings in gold silk plush with gold trimmings. The pathos was made of mahogany. Around the screen the decorations were in silk plush, black and pink rose. Under the screen stood a bank of flowers. Seating at the back was mahogany.

The second class seats were in electric blue velvet with gin shaped backs. The third class seats were crimson velvet and in the front were tip up forms in green leather. At the back of the building were two family boxes with plaster columns upholstered in pink with curtains to match. Internal furnishings were in the hands of Lautenberg and Sons, Widnes. A ladies orchestra provided the music to the silent images.

The cinema was built by Davey and Co Runcorn. The first person to manage the hall was a Mr Lester Haggard and performances were at 7 and 9.

In July 1937 the Premier had a makeover, becoming the New Premier.

The Widnes Cinemas Ltd sponsored the work and it was taken over by Cheshire County Cinemas, another to add to their growing list. The building was redesigned by William and Segar Owen from Warrington, taking six weeks for the trasformation. A new canopy was installed, decorated in blue and cream. The paybox also underwent changes.

The auditorium was entered through three pairs of doors, each with an oval Amber tinted glass panel. The auditorium was coloured gold, blue and pink. The extensive alterations were carried out by a Fred Smith of Farnworth.

The colour scheme was by Thomas Fox and Sons of Widnes. Harold Cookson became the manager, later managing the Plaza. The New Premier, known as the closiest cinema in town opened on July 26th 1937 with the film The Plainsman.

The first talkie was Interference screened from the 21st October 1929. The second talkie was Broadway Melody, then The Singing Fool. The Premier was the first Widnes cinema to show talkies. It was equipped with Kalee machies. The Kine Yearbook of 1931 says The sound was Western Electric. However, the Bioscope magazine states British Talking Picture (BTP)

The cinema finally closed its doors on the 13th February 1960 with the films Lady From Shanghai and Five Steps to Danger. It was managed by a Mr John Harrison at the time of closure.

It became a motorcycle shop before opening as a Wetherspoon pub in the early 2000s.