Changes to the building frontage
At the front of the building, the original neon lighting scheme is being restored, including long red and green tube lights and the REGAL name in neon white. Decorative plasterwork columns and window lintel decorations, lost in the late 1960s, are being re-instated, and the main doors will be moved forward, creating a larger foyer space and allowing for a disabled access lift to be fitted. This will allow people who have difficulty with stairs access to the foyer and the back of the auditorium for the first time.Changes in the foyer
The decorative scheme of the foyer area has been renovated, preserving the original features such as the paybox and enhancing the art-deco style there. The ground floor rooms of the existing shop units to either side of the foyer are now part of the foyer space via new archways.Changes in the auditorium
The 1930s George Legge murals have been fully renovated and repaired by mural artist Richard Gill. This includes cleaning and repainting of sections lost over the years to damage and overpainting. The historic proscenium arch that surrounded the original cinema screen has been repainted into its original gold, allowing it to be seen again as it would have been in 1937 when the cinema opened.
Also in the auditorium, the original cinema lighting scheme has been restored, with the later fluorescent lighting strips removed, and the decorative archways on the side walls have been repainted to original colours and the interior lighting refitted within them.Changes ’behind the scenes’
The original parquet floor in the projection room and much of the upstairs will be fixed and re-laid where it has been damaged, and the technical rooms, including the projection room, will be fully renovated.
Up on the roof, new and improved guttering and rainwater goods will aid drainage and prevent future roof and building damage from leaks, and the auditorium roof has been replaced, creating new, safer roof space access.
If you're interested in seeing the restoration in progress, you can check out our virtual video tour on our youtube channel:
Restoration-related posts here on the blog are tagged "Restoration Update" so you can find photographs and descriptions of work as it happened in one simple click.
We hope you enjoy learning about the restoration project here at the Regal!
