A WOMAN who managed the restaurant at a city centre cinema for two decades has died, aged 94.

Vera Bradley was the manager of the Magdalen Street cinema eatery between the 1960s and the 1980s.

She first joined the restaurant as a waitress, but was quickly promoted to manager.

The venue became a popular haunt for actors and actresses who were performing at the Oxford Playhouse and the New Theatre.

In her 20 years on the job she rubbed shoulders with a wide range of stars, including Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton.

Diana Rigg and Frankie Howerd were also among Mrs Bradley’s customers.

The Magdalen Street cinema dates back to 1924, during the silent movie era. In 1931 it was renamed the Oxford Super Cinema.

While Mrs Bradley was there it was run by ABC. It has since been taken over by Odeon.

Born Vera Moate on June 28, 1918, Mrs Bradley grew up in Caerphilly, South Wales.

Aged 16 she went into service for a Welsh family who lived in Richmond, Surrey, looking after their children.

But she did not enjoy life in service and in 1937 moved to Oxford to be with her sister Kit, who had relocated to the city along with many other Welsh people who were seeking work at the booming Cowley car factory.

It was through her sister that she met her husband Bill Bradley, who was also from Wales. They married in St Clement’s Cchurch in 1940.

At the time of her marriage, Mrs Bradley worked in Lyons Corner House as a cashier. She gave up her job to look after their children at their home in Hurst Street, East Oxford.

She eventually returned to work, first at Fullbrook Farm Cafe, in Cowley Road, then, in the early 1960s, to the Oxford Super Cinema.

When she left the cinema in 1982 after two decades at the restaurant, she ran a shop in Marston called Falford Stores for a few years before retiring.

Mrs Bradley is survived by four children – Douglas, Pam, Roger and David – eight grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren. Her husband Bill died in 1990.

Her funeral took place at Oxford Crematorium on Tuesday, June 18.