Heidelberg Heritage Association unveils blue plaque celebrating historic Union Bioscope
A piece of Heidelberg’s entertainment history has been preserved as the Heidelberg Heritage Association unveiled its 87th blue plaque, commemorating the historic Union Bioscope at The Daily coffee shop on Jacob Street.
The Heidelberg Heritage Association unveiled its 87th blue plaque on September 23, commemorating the historic Union Bioscope, one of Heidelberg’s longstanding landmarks.
The blue plaque was unveiled at The Daily coffee shop on Jacob Street, where the historic building has been given a new lease of life as a coffee shop.
Sponsored by Albert Grobler, the plaque commemorates a building believed to have been constructed around 1913.
It was originally known as the Union Rink Bioscope.
The building’s distinctive Art Deco frontage was added around the 1930s. Over the years, the venue became known as the Union Theatre and Union Bioscope.
In its early years, the bioscope screened silent movies, accompanied by a small orchestra that provided live background music.
The introduction of sound films later transformed the cinema experience and the venue became a popular entertainment destination for Heidelberg residents.
The Union Bioscope was also a popular haunt for students from the Heidelberg Teachers Training College.
Around the 1940s, Anthony Kalil purchased the Bioscope from Major Whelan.
The venue continued entertaining generations of Heidelberg residents until it stopped screening films in the early 1980s.
The building was later used as a gym during the late 1990s before eventually becoming home to The Daily coffee shop.
The blue plaque forms part of the Heidelberg Heritage Association’s ongoing project to identify, commemorate and preserve buildings and places of historical significance in the town.
The unveiling of the 87th plaque highlights the Union Bioscope’s important role in Heidelberg’s social and entertainment history, while ensuring future generations remember its story.
