Savoy Theatre
50 Cathedral Square,
Christchurch
8011
50 Cathedral Square,
Christchurch
8011
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Additional Info
Previously operated by: Amalgamated Theatres Ltd.
Previous Names: Liberty Theatre
Nearby Theaters
Located on Cathedral Square, adjacent to the Warner’s Hotel. The 1,400-seat Liberty Theatre was opened in 1917. It had a 3-storey high stained glass window on its façade. In 1939 it was taken over by the Amalgamated Theatres chain. In 1953 it was equipped with CinemaScope and re-named Savoy Theatre. At the same time, it was modernised, which removed much of the original plasterwork. It was still open into 1974 when it was listed with 1,237-seats. It was twinned in 1977 with seating for 910 (385 & 525). It was demolished in 1996 and the site became a beer garden for the adjacent hotel.
In 2010 a Novotel hotel was built on the site of the beer garden and it featured a replica of the original Art Deco style facade of the Liberty Theatre. In February 2011 the adjacent Categary II Heritage Warner’s Hotel was badly damaged in an earthquake and it was demolished in late-2011.
Contributed by
Ken Roe
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Recent comments (view all 1 comments)
The Savoy remained open until (at least) 1974. It was redeveloped into a twin in 1977, and the resulting seating reduced to 385 in Savoy One, and 525 in Savoy Two. The Savoy was finally demolished in 1993 and the site became the beer garden of the adjacent Warner’s Hotel, but still featured projection facilities to allow for the occasional outdoor movie to be held there.