Photographs of the old Regal Cinema in the 1930s
By John Layton
The building of the Regal Cinema began in 1929, and it opened on January 1st 1934. The site was long and narrow, and the stipulation for a seating capacity of 1,500 resulted in a lofty auditorium and a steep balcony.
Here are two photographs of the Cinema in the 1930's. As you can see, cinema-going was quite the thing at that time, going by the length of the queue in photograph two.
The cinema stood on the corner of Theatre Plain, opposite what is now the BHS Store
The building that stood there before the 1930s was the Theatre Royal, which was demolished in the 1920s to make way for the Regal.
My father's stepfather actually worked on the construction of the Regal as a carpenter. He got the job because he was the only person there who could build a 'Jacob's Ladder' - I believe this was a makeshift construction of nailed-together wood.
It was originally a theatre, later being converted into a cinema, with the proviso, so it is said, that at least one live show be put on each year, otherwise it would close.
It was the home for many years of the Gt Yarmouth Operatic and Dramatic Society's productions, mainly their Christmas Pantomimes, but it also held Summer Shows, much like the Britannia Pier and St George's Theatre do today. I remember going to see the folk group The Spinners there during their last tour.
In 1963 it changed its name to the ABC and then again in 1987 to the Canon.
It was finally demolished, in 1989 to make way for the Market Gates Shopping Precinct.
Photograph of the Regal Cinema, 1938
Gt Yarmouth Museums
Photograph of a typical Cinema Queue, outside the Regal, 1936
Gt Yarmouth Museums
The Regal and Deneside
Supplied by Colin Cockle, courtesy of the Keith Hastings collection.
The start of building the Regal Cinema
Supplied by Colin Cockle, courtesy of the Keith Hastings collection.
Building the Regal
Supplied by Colin Cockle, courtesy of the Keith Hastings collection.
The building of the Regal Cinema
Supplied by Colin Cockle, courtesy of the Keith Hastings collection.
Supplied by Colin Cockle, courtesy of the Keith Hastings collection.
Supplied by Colin Cockle, courtesy of the Keith Hastings collection
The Regal
Supplied by Colin Cockle, courtesy of the Keith Hastings collection.