Regal Cinema
Freeman Street,
Grimsby,
DN32 7AP
Freeman Street,
Grimsby,
DN32 7AP
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Opened by Associated British Cinemas(ABC) on 4th December 1937 as the Regal Cinema, it had an original seating capacity of 1,966, with 1,280 in the stalls and 686 in the circle. It was equipped with a Compton 3Manual/6Ranks theatre organ which was opened by Wilfred Southworth. The organ console was illuminated.
It was renamed ABC in 1961. In July 1966, the ABC was modernised and alterations took place. The new ABC occupied the balcony of the original cinema building and had a seating capacity of 1,231 when it re-opened on 18th March 1967. The former stalls seating area was converted into a supermarket and shops. The layout was unusual in that the circle started at the very rear of the stalls. The new cinema was also back to front – the original projection box was now above the proscenium, and became the plenum room.
The cinema was tripled (into 300, 225 and 130 seats respectively) in April 1980, and later went through many name changes including Classic, MGM and Cannon, before eventually becoming Odeon in 2001. Odeon spent 100,000 GB Pound rebranding the cinema, yet could not overcome its inherent problems caused by the extremely bad subdivision which led to the two small screens projectors being on angles to the screens.
Unfortunately audiences dwindled, the cinema was a constant attraction for vandals, and closed in 2004. Although there is now a multiplex 15 minutes drive away in Cleethorpes, the site was sold to a local businessman wanting to reopen it. In the Summer of 2009, further proposals were announced that the cinema could be re-opening, and it re-opened as the Regal Cinema in August 2009. Sadly, this was a short lived venture, as it was closed at the end of September 2009.
Contributed by
Dan Harris
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Recent comments (view all 9 comments)
Built for Associated British Cinemas (ABC), the original seating capacity of the Regal Cinema when it first opened on 4th December 1937 was 1,966 seats (1,280 in the stalls and 686 in the balcony).
When the building was first sub-divided into a supermarket in the former stalls area and an ABC Cinema in the former balcony it had a seating capacity of 1,231 seats.
Can anybody tell me what happened to the odeon Grimsby after it closed,is it still standing or has it reopened. thanks brian
The latest report in the Cinema Theatre Association ‘Bulletin’– Sept/Oct 2005 quotes from a Grimsby Telegraph article dated 4th August 2005 that; the building has been sold and the new landlord is looking to lease the disused triple cinema. An operator from the area is said to be interested.
The cinema is still dark, as of December 2006, with no live plans to revive it.
The new cinema (Meridian Parkway in Cleethorpes) is further away than the editorial suggests – perhaps 15 minutes through urban traffic by car, but over an hour’s walk away.
I am seriously considering re-opening this up again as a cinema, could anyone give any advice on making it successful, i am not looking at it to make me rich, but obviously it isn’t cheap to run, wages, etc so any pointers would be most beneficial
The tripled cinema actually reopened in 1980, not 1975.
I have loaded 3 pictures of the r-opening day 1967. which will help with discription