Highams Regal
This report is more just to show that this isn't really worth bothering with, it's barley report worthy and if it needs deleting, I'll condense it down and add it into the "cinemas in need of exploration" thread. Anyway, I had high hopes for this place and checked it again and again for about 18 months. Regardless, here's a couple pics, a bit of history and a small write up. Sorry to disappoint! Explored with MockneyReject and Sarah.
History
Located close to Higham’s Park Railway Station on the Chingford line in North-East London. The Higham’s Park Electric Theatre opened on 1st April 1911. It was designed by architect W.A. Lewis and had a seating capacity of 550. It was re-named Regal Cinema in 1928 and improvements were made to the building in 1933.
In 1935, it was partly rebuilt to the plans of architectural firm Howes & Jackman. It received a new modern Art Deco style facade and entrance foyer. A cafe was added in the circle foyer and a Rutt 3Manual/6Ranks organ was installed in the modernised and enlarged auditorium, which now seated 615. The Regal Cinema re-opened on 23rd September 1935 with Irene Dunne in "Sweet Adeline" and W.C. Fields in "It’s A Gift".
Always independently operated, the Regal Cinema was closed on 11th September 1963 with Frank Sinatra in "Some Came Running" and John Bentley in "Escape in the Sun". It was converted into an independent bingo club, but this was no too successful, and films returned on several nights a week, beginning on 23rd February 1964 with Norman Wisdom in "A Stitch In Time". By April 1964, bingo had been dropped and full time cinema use resumed. The Regal Cinema finally closed on 27th April 1971 with Paul Newman in "Exodus".
It became a bingo club again, this time using only the circle seating area. The stalls area was used as a snooker hall. Later, the bingo operation ceased and Regals London Snooker Club continues today in the auditorium, while a bar operates from the former foyer. The Rutt organ is now housed in the St Albans Organ Theatre, St Albans, Hertfordshire, where it is played on a regular basis.
In August 2014 the owners of the building (a security firm) proposed plans to convert the building into their head office. However, in March 2015 they decided it was too small, and proposals were made to convert the building into a 50-seat cinema. By May 2016 nothing more had been heard of this proposal.
Further reading and few pictures: http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/30181
Pictures
Couple pictures showing the butchered old cinema, a few pool tables and a lot of disappointment.
And this is as god as it got unfortunately
A small reminder
Just goes to show that there are more hiding in London, we check those we know of regularly and it was good to finally see inside this one, just a shame it was nothing like it could have been! Where the projector room should have been was all concreted up madly enough and the windows in the front you see actually have walls behind them, a poor job at converting this old building. Hopefully it has a future but by the looks of it the only salvageable part is the facade.
Thanks for looking!
This report is more just to show that this isn't really worth bothering with, it's barley report worthy and if it needs deleting, I'll condense it down and add it into the "cinemas in need of exploration" thread. Anyway, I had high hopes for this place and checked it again and again for about 18 months. Regardless, here's a couple pics, a bit of history and a small write up. Sorry to disappoint! Explored with MockneyReject and Sarah.
History
Located close to Higham’s Park Railway Station on the Chingford line in North-East London. The Higham’s Park Electric Theatre opened on 1st April 1911. It was designed by architect W.A. Lewis and had a seating capacity of 550. It was re-named Regal Cinema in 1928 and improvements were made to the building in 1933.
In 1935, it was partly rebuilt to the plans of architectural firm Howes & Jackman. It received a new modern Art Deco style facade and entrance foyer. A cafe was added in the circle foyer and a Rutt 3Manual/6Ranks organ was installed in the modernised and enlarged auditorium, which now seated 615. The Regal Cinema re-opened on 23rd September 1935 with Irene Dunne in "Sweet Adeline" and W.C. Fields in "It’s A Gift".
Always independently operated, the Regal Cinema was closed on 11th September 1963 with Frank Sinatra in "Some Came Running" and John Bentley in "Escape in the Sun". It was converted into an independent bingo club, but this was no too successful, and films returned on several nights a week, beginning on 23rd February 1964 with Norman Wisdom in "A Stitch In Time". By April 1964, bingo had been dropped and full time cinema use resumed. The Regal Cinema finally closed on 27th April 1971 with Paul Newman in "Exodus".
It became a bingo club again, this time using only the circle seating area. The stalls area was used as a snooker hall. Later, the bingo operation ceased and Regals London Snooker Club continues today in the auditorium, while a bar operates from the former foyer. The Rutt organ is now housed in the St Albans Organ Theatre, St Albans, Hertfordshire, where it is played on a regular basis.
In August 2014 the owners of the building (a security firm) proposed plans to convert the building into their head office. However, in March 2015 they decided it was too small, and proposals were made to convert the building into a 50-seat cinema. By May 2016 nothing more had been heard of this proposal.
Further reading and few pictures: http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/30181
Pictures
Couple pictures showing the butchered old cinema, a few pool tables and a lot of disappointment.
And this is as god as it got unfortunately
A small reminder
Just goes to show that there are more hiding in London, we check those we know of regularly and it was good to finally see inside this one, just a shame it was nothing like it could have been! Where the projector room should have been was all concreted up madly enough and the windows in the front you see actually have walls behind them, a poor job at converting this old building. Hopefully it has a future but by the looks of it the only salvageable part is the facade.
Thanks for looking!
but we really couldnt find anything.
