I remember the Regal from my childhood in the 60’s and can remember being taken to see my very first film there – Mary Poppins. Saturday morning pictures was a highlight of our week and you always had to get there early to be sure of getting in, it was so well attended. I also remember going to the Sundown disco, which was eventually closed because of all the trouble caused by local yobs at closing time. I believe somebody got stabbed there once – quite a rare event in those days – and it became something of a no-go area for a while.
I still live in the Edmonton area and recall something of a scandal when the site was demolished in order for the Safeway store to be built. It was reported in the local papers that the local council had placed a caveat on the planning permission, in that the facade had to be retained. There were rumours that the building had listed status, though I don’t know if that was true. Of course, the builders simply bulldozed the lot – whether by accident or design, I have no idea – but I gather they had to pay a hefty fine. (The same thing happened to our local Town Hall. It worked out cheaper for the builders to pay the fine than to preserve the building the way the Council wanted.)
I pass the Regal site every day now and, contrary to the last paragraph in the main entry above, the building now houses a Lidl supermarket. Shame.
I remember the Regal from my childhood in the 60’s and can remember being taken to see my very first film there – Mary Poppins. Saturday morning pictures was a highlight of our week and you always had to get there early to be sure of getting in, it was so well attended. I also remember going to the Sundown disco, which was eventually closed because of all the trouble caused by local yobs at closing time. I believe somebody got stabbed there once – quite a rare event in those days – and it became something of a no-go area for a while.
I still live in the Edmonton area and recall something of a scandal when the site was demolished in order for the Safeway store to be built. It was reported in the local papers that the local council had placed a caveat on the planning permission, in that the facade had to be retained. There were rumours that the building had listed status, though I don’t know if that was true. Of course, the builders simply bulldozed the lot – whether by accident or design, I have no idea – but I gather they had to pay a hefty fine. (The same thing happened to our local Town Hall. It worked out cheaper for the builders to pay the fine than to preserve the building the way the Council wanted.)
I pass the Regal site every day now and, contrary to the last paragraph in the main entry above, the building now houses a Lidl supermarket. Shame.