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Regal Cinema in it's previous state was an individually
operated single screen cinema that showed a unique mix of films.
It had been housed in the Birmingham Gardens Community Hall
since 1950 with a large and loyal patronage of approximately
34,000 per year. The Regal Cinema closed on 31st October 2006.
The cinema had a historical feel, was safe to attend with
ample lighting and parking, and had lower ticket prices than
the larger cinemas around the region. Clientele were mostly
from the local and wider Hunter communities (including Lake
Macquarie, the Coalfields and Port Stephens), students from
the nearby university and those who want to experience the
feel of a less commercially operated cinema that showed a
wide variety of new, old and 'art house' film with extended
seasons.
The Regal Cinema is Listed in the 'Cultural Heritage of Movie
Theatres Register in New South Wales 1896 - 1996'- The Department
of Architecture, University of Sydney, 1997. The Regal Cinema
is an item listed on the Newcastle Local Environmental Plan
2003 and was classified by The National Trust of Australia
in October 2006. Its classification primarily acknowledges
the cultural significance of the Regal to the Newcastle community
and the region but also recognises importance as emblematic
of local cinemas in Australia in times before the arrival
of chain and multiplex cinemas.
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