ABC Sunderland

ABC Sunderland was a former cinema in Sunderland, England. It is recorded as a former cinema in Sunderland, England, and the building associated with the site has since been refurbished and converted into a performing arts and events venue. The venue now operating at the address is The Point Sunderland, a multi-use events complex in the heart of Sunderland City centre with a grand main hall and an intimate performance lounge. According to the venue's own account, it was refurbished from the Old Ritz ABC Cinema and converted into a performing arts and events venue, and the Point and Live Lounge has a long heritage of touring bands, live music and entertainment events hosting a diverse range of performances from artists around the world. The venue also delivers gatherings such as exhibitions, conferencing, gala dinners and banquets. The ABC Sunderland name therefore belongs to the history of the building as a cinema rather than to a currently trading cinema brand at that site; the commercial identity now attached to the location is The Point Sunderland. The available evidence does not establish the cinema's opening or closing dates, its operator, or the precise corporate relationship between the ABC cinema business and the later venue. What is clear is that the ABC Sunderland name survives chiefly as a heritage reference in the story of the building's conversion into a live entertainment venue.

ABC Sunderland is documented as a former cinema in Sunderland, England. The evidence available for this entry is limited: it identifies the site as a former cinema and links the name to a building that has since been refurbished and converted into a performing arts and events venue. The venue now trading at the location, The Point Sunderland, describes itself as a multi-use events complex in the heart of Sunderland City centre with a grand main hall and an intimate performance lounge. In its own account of its space, The Point states that it was refurbished from the Old Ritz ABC Cinema and converted into a performing arts and events venue, and that the Point and Live Lounge has a long heritage of touring bands, live music and entertainment events hosting a diverse range of performances from artists around the world. The same account notes that the venue has delivered some of the city's most prestigious and exciting gatherings, from exhibitions and conferencing to gala dinners and banquets. This means the ABC Sunderland name is best understood as a chapter in the history of a Sunderland building: first a cinema, later a live entertainment and events venue. The evidence does not supply the cinema's opening year, closing year, architect, operator, or the corporate history of the ABC cinema circuit at this site, and those details should not be inferred. What can be stated with confidence is the continuity of use: a building known in its cinema era as the Old Ritz ABC Cinema was refurbished and reopened as The Point and Live Lounge, retaining a heritage of touring bands and live entertainment. The venue's stated business ethos rests on three principles: the customer, the team, and continuous improvement, with an emphasis on service, teamwork and never becoming complacent. For a brand knowledge base, ABC Sunderland should be treated as a defunct cinema identity tied to a specific building, with The Point Sunderland as the successor commercial operation at the same location.

• ABC Sunderland operates as a cinema in Sunderland, England (dates not established by the available evidence).

• The building, described as the Old Ritz ABC Cinema, is refurbished and converted into a performing arts and events venue.

• The Point and Live Lounge opens at the location as a multi-use events complex with a main hall and performance lounge.

A heritage cinema name now associated with a converted multi-use events and performing arts venue in Sunderland city centre.

• Cinema screenings (historical)

• Live music and touring band performances (successor venue)

• Exhibitions and conferencing (successor venue)

• Gala dinners and banquets (successor venue)

1. 1The Point Sunderlandthepointsunderland.co.uk
2. 2About Us & Our Space - The Point Sunderlandthepointsunderland.co.uk
3. 3ABC Sunderland - Wikidatawikidata.org