Thanks for the pictures Ross. I remember as a 7 yr old back in 1979 helping the old projectionist up here as my gran was manager for a while. THre three switches in the top left hand corner were for the main house lanterns. Below was for diming the lights. To the far right is a a switch for the stage lights and the three boxes to the left are for varying the colours
To the far left of the catalogue store underneath the white arch window there was an exit door for the cinema. It was a fire exit but at the end there was an old ticket booth, i imagine at one time this was the entrance for the stalls. If anyone has any pictures from inside the regal, even takenn after closure or during demolition id love to see them. Email me at id be prepared to pay to see them.
Around the side of the building where a person is walking under the big sign, there was a door. I remember when my gran was manager here in 1979, the projectionist took me down there, it was a big brick cellar and the battery generator for the battery lights in the cinema was located down there !
THe Manager’s name was Jean Herron. I believe she died many years ago, possibly in the 1990s. SHe took over from my grandmother, Margaret Brown who managed the cinema in 1979. I remember the Regal closing and that there were plans to refurbish the wallaw possibly into a twin cinema. By 1982 Video had taken off and unfortunately the cinema couldnt survive.
My gran starteed working here in 1976 as the assistant manager to charles picken. I remmber spending most of summer of 1980 up in the projection room helping to show films at the age of 8, happy memories. If i remember the projectionist of the time commmitted a robbery of the place a year later lol
I think the reason it was eventually demolished was because of break ins- not long before they started demolishing at christmas 1989, i passed one day and the front doors were open as there had been a break in. about ten years ago some work was going on upstairs at the Wallaw and someone posted online some pictures, the projection room there is still completely intact !
i Remember Dennis well, i probably met you as my gran was the manager margaret brown in about 1978 before going to the wallaw. I remember getting to see the old dressing rooms just before the regal closed in 79. Always regretted only getting into the projection room once.I just remember the beautiful lighting inside. She was at the coliseum too, they were state of the art there, they had one projector per cinema and spooled all the film parts onto one big reel.
Projection room incredbly intact i think those three buttons onthe left are for opening and closing the curtains,
one of the unique house lanterns up in the circle.
Thanks for the pictures Ross. I remember as a 7 yr old back in 1979 helping the old projectionist up here as my gran was manager for a while. THre three switches in the top left hand corner were for the main house lanterns. Below was for diming the lights. To the far right is a a switch for the stage lights and the three boxes to the left are for varying the colours
one of five cinemas that coexisted at one time in Ashington. The pavillion (the piv), the Buffs, the regal, the wallaw and the hippodrome.
To the far left of the catalogue store underneath the white arch window there was an exit door for the cinema. It was a fire exit but at the end there was an old ticket booth, i imagine at one time this was the entrance for the stalls. If anyone has any pictures from inside the regal, even takenn after closure or during demolition id love to see them. Email me at id be prepared to pay to see them.
Around the side of the building where a person is walking under the big sign, there was a door. I remember when my gran was manager here in 1979, the projectionist took me down there, it was a big brick cellar and the battery generator for the battery lights in the cinema was located down there !
THe Manager’s name was Jean Herron. I believe she died many years ago, possibly in the 1990s. SHe took over from my grandmother, Margaret Brown who managed the cinema in 1979. I remember the Regal closing and that there were plans to refurbish the wallaw possibly into a twin cinema. By 1982 Video had taken off and unfortunately the cinema couldnt survive.
My gran starteed working here in 1976 as the assistant manager to charles picken. I remmber spending most of summer of 1980 up in the projection room helping to show films at the age of 8, happy memories. If i remember the projectionist of the time commmitted a robbery of the place a year later lol
I think the reason it was eventually demolished was because of break ins- not long before they started demolishing at christmas 1989, i passed one day and the front doors were open as there had been a break in. about ten years ago some work was going on upstairs at the Wallaw and someone posted online some pictures, the projection room there is still completely intact !
i Remember Dennis well, i probably met you as my gran was the manager margaret brown in about 1978 before going to the wallaw. I remember getting to see the old dressing rooms just before the regal closed in 79. Always regretted only getting into the projection room once.I just remember the beautiful lighting inside. She was at the coliseum too, they were state of the art there, they had one projector per cinema and spooled all the film parts onto one big reel.