Regent Cinema Redcar to be demolished.....

[Foggysfplandiet3]

......and a new Regent built in its place.

Shame to see the old fleapit go but it’s fabric is beyond repair, apparently.

The building where Larry Grayson first coined the phrase, “Shut that door!”

 

[Smoginexile]

That's sad news.
But if they build a new one its not so bad.
Got to be better than a derelict building nobody can use.

 

[Norfolkred1]

They need to have a word with Stockton Council.

 

[penry1]

Stockton will say demolish......as they have with anything historic in billingham.

 

[Cooper671]

Was proposed about a year ago now.... the council have wanted it gone for a while. The brilliance of the regent was its history and price. If the build is double the price it will die on its ****

 

[asredastheycome]

While I tend to agree with you Cooper671 its up to the people of Redcar to make sure it doesn't. They said they have the funding for it but we will see.

 

[buffaloboro]

Used to love going there, easy access and affordable. I hope they are able to build another and people actually use it.
It's a rare thing now, a cinema in the town centre

 

[r00fie1]

Was proposed about a year ago now.... the council have wanted it gone for a while. The brilliance of the regent was its history and price. If the build is double the price it will die on its ****

Its not the Council`s responsibility to prop up failed private business.
It is a shame that the old unique building is going......but all good things come to an end

 

[Foggysfplandiet3]

Redcar and Cleveland Council approved it the other day apparently, £9million cost. See https://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/teesside-news/9m-plans-new-seafront-cinema-18728980

Repairs would only extend its life by 10 years, reportedly.

Shame it’s going but all credit to the Council for promptly replacing it and the design of the new place is attractive and decoratively the frontage has some nice nods to the old place.

I can remember going to the Saturday morning kids cinema there in the 70s, cartoons, a serial called “River Rivals”, a Laurel and Hardy and a big feature film like Shane. Thanks for the memories, Regent

 

[fmttmadmin]

The council allowed people to have a say on its future but renovating the current building was not an option. They made that quite clear. The officials were adamant that the building had no architectural merit. It waa not art decor they said again and again. It is art decor and has real seaside architectural merit apart from historic and sentimental value.

 

[Randy]

I think it's great for the town.
It's nice to see some money been spent on the place.
A cinema with 3 screens WILL be used not only by people from the town but also the surrounding areas, especially those in East Cleveland.

 

[TeaCider]

No issue with it being demolished, as long as they do build the replacement.
It was falling to bits, even ignoring the asbestos.

Loved going to the Regent though, so I really hope they do bring it back and keep it affordable. Could never fault the pricing when it was open.

 

[rob_fmttm]

It was a special place. The replacement will be a cinema but won't have the memories or the architecture or the history. Think of how people constantly attack Stockton council for building the Castlegate centre over their heritage or Middlesbrough for losing the Royal Exchange and the Cleveland Scientific Institute etc. Once it is gone it is gone.

 

[TheYorkshireTerrier]

Been an eyesore for a while now since it got bordered up. Just gets in the way walking along the beachfront.

Hopefully the new one sees a lot of business, although I fear the majority will still prefer Showcase/Cineworld.

If they got the reclining seats the Showcase have I'd be there all the time

 

[ThatFragranceGuy]

They need to have a word with Stockton Council.

They can’t win. They are vilified for knocking buildings down and vilified for trying to restore them.

 

[TeaCider]

Once it's gone, it's gone, but the Regent building does not look good inside or out, and the new building will presumably be a vast improvement.

 

[Kenna]

It's great for Redcar and I like the look of the design too.

 

[Foggysfplandiet3]

My late Mam and Dad recalled seeing Larry Grayson there, in the 1950s I think; in those days he was called Billy Breen but they said the act was exactly the same, only his name had changed. Twenty years later he became a huge national star with it.

Apparently the Shut That Door thing came about when someone left a door open near the stage when he was performing and a howling wind blew through.

When in Redcar he had witnessed the Lifeboat launching and when he died in January 1995 he left a gift to Redcar RNLI which, appropriately enough, was used to buy a new set of main front doors for the boathouse.

Mike Neville also appeared at what was then the New Pavilion in rep in the 1950s, he used to tell about the dressing rooms flooding in a high spring tide and how he once found a fish in there.

I don’t suppose they will be able to but it would be great if they allowed escorted tours before it is demolished.

I hope the Kirkleatham Hall Museum gets a few fittings out of it as well, particularly the stage door that Grayson used to complain about.

 

[Corcaigh_the_Cat]

Stockton will say demolish......as they have with anything historic in billingham.

What have Stockton Council had demolished in Billingham that has any historic value?

 

[Randy]

Once it's gone, it's gone, but the Regent building does not look good inside or out, and the new building will presumably be a vast improvement.

When the building was inspected it was shown that roof rafters were in immediate danger of caving in and causing potential injury and even death. As others have stated the cost to repair the building would not be worth it as repairs would only last around 10 years.

I get the sentiment I do but a brand new building housing 3 screens, hospitality and and events room can only be a good thing for Redcar and the surrounding areas.