The old cinema in my town has finally reached the point of demolition.
As I drove past this afternoon the cinema screen end of the building had already been destroyed.
I could see inside for the first time in years and it brought back some wonderful memories.
The Regal opened in 1939 and the first film shown was "Storm in a teacup" starring Vivien Leigh.
One of my earliest memories is of my Mum apologizing that the "Wizard of Oz" was in black and white (she also saw it as a child) then all of a sudden it changed into colour... I felt so pleased for her.
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The doors were closed back in 2007 and a Facebook campaign to reopen it fell on deaf ears.
One of my earliest memories is of my Mum apologizing that the "Wizard of Oz" was in black and white (she also saw it as a child) then all of a sudden it changed into colour... I felt so pleased for her.
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The Regal originally had seating for over 1000 people.
I hope to capture a few images of what is left tomorrow morning during the removal of the building.
The grey extension to the cinema was built in the 1970's... a new screen with seats for 200.
My earliest memory of the Regal was when my Dad took my brother and I to see the towns in flood and water lapping up the steps... the Regal had a mural in the foyer showing an earlier flood from the 1940's.
As I have said in the title I have loads of memories from the old place... wonderful memories.
Weekly Top Shot
Weekly Top Shot
10 comments:
Always sad to see our history and heritage fall to so called 'progress'. Thank goodness for memories Andrew. They can't take them away; yet.
It's a shame when something that holds so many memories for us is taken away Andrew, one good thing is that you'll still have those memories, all good I hope?...[;o)
I had a cinema called the "Regal", it was demolished, but, I remember the first that I was taken to was "Davy Crockett and Mr Porridge".
Before my husband passed away, he had so many of his childhood memories destroyed. The home he grew up in was leveled and a monsterous new house was build on the land and his dad's little cafe in downtown Los Angeles was leveled for a parking lot.
i loved the theaters when i was a child, much better than the new ones. with beautiful red velvet drapes and murals on the wall, sad to see a piece of history gone.
wonderful shots of what must have been a beautiful place ~ great memories ~
(A Creative Harbor)
It's always a shame to lose a place like that. Typically, whatever replaces it doesn't have the same appeal. It's a great looking building and the kind of place every town should have.
Funny how a photo can bring back such memories, but so glad you took the time to capture them and write them down.
How sad to see its demise!
So sad! Movies were such an important part of our lives when we were kids too. They MEANT something!Sad to lose this beautiful icon. (It has happened over here too way too often.)
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