Regent Picture House

The Picture Theatre in Highbridge, Somerset was on Church Street next to the level crossing where the railway (now no longer existing) ran to Burnham-on-Sea. At the other side of the railway line was the Lamb Inn, which is currently (mid-2024) the Hong Kong take-away at 111 Church Street. The cinema was built by the Highbridge Cinema Ltd. The architect was Maurice Cox of Bath Road, Bristol. On 10th July 1920, three weeks from the anticipated opening, there was a serious fire. The date of the delayed opening is elusive but it was reported as a ‘recent’ event in the Kinematograph Weekly on 14th October 1920.

In January 1931 ownership passed to George Rees Theatres Ltd, of Bristol. An Edibell sound system was installed shortly after; and around the same time the name was changed to the Regent Picture House. At that time, the seating capacity was listed as 325 in the Kinematograph Year Books.

In the Kine Year Book’s 1947 & 1948 the sound system was not named; but ‘Western Electric’ was listed in 1949, and thereafter. In KYB 1954, seating fell to 313, presumably due to a wide-screen being installed.

The closure date is elusive. The cinema was not listed in KYB 1957.

The site of the cinema now has a red-brick block of dwellings bounded by Newtown Road, King Street and Church Street. The development is called appropriately, Regent Court.

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