ABC Walton-on-Thames

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Uploaded on: March 25, 2021

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This original photograph of the Regal auditorium was taken the day before the official opening, showing the interior as designed by Eugene Mollo. Featuring outstanding splay wall panelling. The six panels were constructed in Mollo & Egan workshops in London by Alexander Bilibin then transferred to site for installation, each panel slightly overlaps so to conceal light battens fixed within the recesses that illuminated each panel. The initial metal designs were made and forged in a metal frame by Bilibin, then muslin or hessian was dipped into plaster before being wrapped onto the metal detail, a process known as ‘Stick and Rag’ when dried a formulated metallic gold paint was sprayed over the whole completed panel. The application of plaster onto the metal made each panel extremely heavy, great skill and team work was required for the lifting and fixing operation which was always supervised by Bilibin. Mollo & Egan were certainly busy during 1937 and 1938 as similar panels with additional wall and ceiling designs were also installed in the Embassy cinema, Fareham and the Regal cinema, Bridlington. The six decorative grilles were fixed into position three either side onto the splay walls, then a fourth fibrous plaster section was completed on site. For this panel, plaster was applied into a fabricated frame and whilst drying Mollo worked his sgraffito designs into the plaster by free hand, when dry, the matching formulated gold paint was applied. This same procedure was carried out on the wide boarder which enclosed the completed four panelled sections also the fluted ceiling, which was finished in metallic silver, shedding indirect lighting the entire length of the auditorium. The carpet viewed in the stalls gangways was also designed by Mollo, in an Art Deco modern style and fitted throughout the Regal. A better view of the carpet can be viewed within the restaurant area photograph on Cinema Treasures the Regal Bridlington, also a similar decorative interior had been carried out, however, the auditorium splay wall panels there are finished with a three stepped end section. These can be viewed so vividly by the terrible Bingo overpainting, also the central ceiling fluted lighting features have been entirely ripped out. Both actions would have Mollo spinning in his grave. It was announced on 15th July 2020 the Regal Bridlington, had closed.

Ron Knee