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  Discover. Preserve. Protect.
Also known as Picturehouse, Argosy Cinema

Regal Cinema

Whitstable, Kent, England
44-48 High Street
, Whitstable, Kent, England, United Kingdom CT5 1BQ
(map)
Status: Closed
Screens: Single Screen
Style: Art Deco
Function: Retail
Seats: 936
Chain: Unknown
Architect: Frederick E. Bromige
Firm: Unknown
Add a photo for this theater!
Opened on 26th February 1913 as the Picturehouse on Whitstable High Street, it was designed by architect Edwin Pover. The building had previously been Church & Co. furniture store. It was a reverse cinema, with the screen located at the entrance end on High Street.

In 1937 it was rebuilt and enlarged to the plans of architect F.E. Bromige and now contained 1,000 seats, re-opening as the Argosy Cinema. It was given an Art Deco style frontage (in response to competition from the nearby Oxford Cinema). In later-1950 it was remodeled and re-named the Regal Cinema.

The Regal Cinema was closed on 17th September 1960 with Robert Mitcham in "The Wonderful Country". The interior was gutted and it was converted into Whitstable's first supermarket, which was operated by Finefare. At this time the Art Deco style frontage was simplified in to a very plain 1960's design with large central windows sadly replacing the curved Art Deco. For a while, a Chinese restaurant operated in the circle foyer.

It remains as a supermarket in 2009 operated by Budgens.
Contributed by Woody


YOUR COMMENTS

 
Photo taken September 2009 of the exterior, the pitched roof of the auditorium block rising above the modified frontage
http://www.flickr.com/photos/woody1969/3970201816/
Scroll down to see two great photos of the original Picturehouse and then its Art Deco style rebuild
http://www.simplywhitstable.com/chat_cols/chat274d.htm
posted by woody on Oct 3, 2009 at 2:22am
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