On Wednesday 9 August 2023 it was reported that Merlin Cinemas had purchased the cinema that day. The article quoted Councillor Bell who had stated “They’re hoping to reopen the cinema again in the near future and will be developing a short and long-term investment plan to improve the building, including the listed features” and “Merlin has given assurances they will value and promote the organ.”
At the Open Heritage Day event on 16th September 2023, the owner said it would definitely re-open within a year. The old screen (not the original) in front of the balcony has been removed. There will be luxury seating in the balcony and normal seating in the stalls with the screen restored to the proscenium. A new projection room was being constructed at the back of the stalls. Many features have been retained or restored.
The stage will be available for live stage productions. I spoke to one of the staff who said the new owner had retained many of the former staff. I forgot to ask if they were helping with restoration!
Snap Fitness 21 gymnasium no longer exists. I would place the cinema where the ramp to the Gateway shopping centre car park is now and next to the current Amber Blythesea Lodge just visible in the black and white photo on the left. The OS map revised 1938-39 appears to show the outline of the cinema by the letter “B” of Blythesea Road. https://maps.nls.uk/view/101463203
According to the plaque on Wetherspoon’s pub in nearby Park Street, Albany Ward first opened a cinema in 1910 in the former Hill’s Hall in Park Street. Part Street is to the left of the Town Hall (with the clock) seen in the photo above. See photos of the first Palace and the plaque.
Back in the early 1970s I visited one Saturday morning with friend who was the organist for a cinema in Eastleigh and stand-in for Reginald Porter-Brown at the ABC Southampton. My friend started up the organ (covered in dust) and it played somewhat. The manager then arrived and was none too pleased and turfed us out! According to one website the organ went to Abbess Rodding and is now in store at Greenlaw - in Scotland I presume.
In the current (2006) configuration the circle is now a separate screen and the front stalls with the proscenium opening, original Odeon clock and organ is screen 4. Organ concerts are held about 5 times per year on Sunday afternoons. A photo taken in 2003 is available here: http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/136127
On Wednesday 9 August 2023 it was reported that Merlin Cinemas had purchased the cinema that day. The article quoted Councillor Bell who had stated “They’re hoping to reopen the cinema again in the near future and will be developing a short and long-term investment plan to improve the building, including the listed features” and “Merlin has given assurances they will value and promote the organ.”
https://www.itv.com/news/westcountry/2023-08-09/art-deco-cinema-in-seaside-town-to-reopen-under-new-ownership
At the Open Heritage Day event on 16th September 2023, the owner said it would definitely re-open within a year. The old screen (not the original) in front of the balcony has been removed. There will be luxury seating in the balcony and normal seating in the stalls with the screen restored to the proscenium. A new projection room was being constructed at the back of the stalls. Many features have been retained or restored.
The stage will be available for live stage productions. I spoke to one of the staff who said the new owner had retained many of the former staff. I forgot to ask if they were helping with restoration!
Lots of interior photos from 2015 at https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/whats-on/film-news/gallery/glorious-edwardian-cinema-could-back-10533409
BBC website reports that the Regal reopened as an Everyman cinema on 2nd June 2023 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-wiltshire-65788774
A short video from Compton Lodge Studios is on YouTube:
MOVIE PALACES #96 - THE GAUMONT TROWBRIDGE WILTSHIRE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOdX6tOKbGU
Snap Fitness 21 gymnasium no longer exists. I would place the cinema where the ramp to the Gateway shopping centre car park is now and next to the current Amber Blythesea Lodge just visible in the black and white photo on the left. The OS map revised 1938-39 appears to show the outline of the cinema by the letter “B” of Blythesea Road. https://maps.nls.uk/view/101463203
Construction drawings of this Fore Street cinema can be found at http://www.wiltshireatwar.org.uk/story/albany-ward-cinema-pioneer/
This is the plaque on the former Palace cinema in nearby Park Street.
This is the former Palace cinema in nearby Park Street.
According to the plaque on Wetherspoon’s pub in nearby Park Street, Albany Ward first opened a cinema in 1910 in the former Hill’s Hall in Park Street. Part Street is to the left of the Town Hall (with the clock) seen in the photo above. See photos of the first Palace and the plaque.
Back in the early 1970s I visited one Saturday morning with friend who was the organist for a cinema in Eastleigh and stand-in for Reginald Porter-Brown at the ABC Southampton. My friend started up the organ (covered in dust) and it played somewhat. The manager then arrived and was none too pleased and turfed us out! According to one website the organ went to Abbess Rodding and is now in store at Greenlaw - in Scotland I presume.
In the current (2006) configuration the circle is now a separate screen and the front stalls with the proscenium opening, original Odeon clock and organ is screen 4. Organ concerts are held about 5 times per year on Sunday afternoons. A photo taken in 2003 is available here: http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/136127