Hoyts Regent Theatre
80 Maitland Road,
Islington,
NSW
2296
80 Maitland Road,
Islington,
NSW
2296
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Wondering if the close date is correct, or if there is/was another Hoyts Regent; reason being that the poster for the Beatles “Help!” has it showing at the Hoyts. “Help” was released Aug. 25, 1965; but the Hoyts closed it doors a year earlier in June of ‘64. Was there another Hoyts theatre?
1966 print ad added courtesy of Nancy Wilson.
It was constructed for a small local chain called Herberts Theatres, not for Hoyts.
“Film Weekly” is misleading as Liberty Theatres Property Ltd., was the property-holding arm of Hoyts, who operated most of the big city theatres and cinemas in central Newcastle at that time (Lyric – owned by the Masonic Lodge, the Strand – owned by the City Council, the Victoria – owned by the Victoria Theatre Company Ltd., the Civic – owned by the City Council; suburbs: the Regent (above), the Century at Broadmeadow (demolished after the 1989 earthquake), the Star at The Junction (renamed the Hunter after Hoyts sold it circa 1968 – demolished after the 1989 earthquake), the Savoy at New Lambton, Hoyts Mayfield Cinema, to the best of my knowledge.
Listed in Film Weekly Motion Picture Directory (Australia) 1951-52 edtition as the Regent Theatre, operated by Liberty Theatres Property Ltd. with a seatinbg capacity of 1,534.
apparently. “The dear old thing is still there…….etc”
This dear old thing is still there……and has toilet-seats too! In Newcastle’s re birth about to happen, it is actually now in a good spot to reinvent itself because with the CBD is so dead, it is the fringe – where the Regent is – and the suburbs, where the action and interest will be.
It is a real silent movie theatre and deserves some entrepreneurial spirit.
this lovely 20s building would be very well appreciated today as a 4 screen boutique complex……one (with $) would extend the balcony to the back wall for a big main 500 cinema, and after removing the stalls floor and digging it out a bit, can easily make 3 x 120 seaters and a foyer with new facilities…..it’s just so easy!……..