Friday 20 August 2010

Regal Renovation - One step closer

A extract image from the planning application showing the front view after renovation
The long awaited and much delayed renovation of the Tenbury Regal cinema is one step closer.

Documents have been filed with the MHDC planning department seeking listed building consent (10/00987/LBC), to repair and alter the building. Although the plan is to restore the building back to it's earlier glory, work also includes changing the heating system, altering the toilets and making the building more accessible to disabled visitors.

Earlier plans to include the two shops into the scheme have been withdrawn, (although the shop fronts will be renovated) but there is still a hope that the recently vacated shop can be developed as a bar and coffee shop to be opened before performances and during the interval.

Some of the proposed alterations have been objected to by Regal hirers and users but have been overruled by the project managers and Town Council.

The plans are also due to be submitted to the Lottery Heritage fund asking for around £800k. The results of this request are expected in December.

The plans can be viewed on the MHDC planning website using reference 10/00987/LBC (The site is frequently unavailable)

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

why do they want to spend money on the regal when nobody goes.

@WR15 said...

Thousands of people use the Regal every year.

The monthly comedy nights often sell out, the pantomime runs for nearly a week with almost full houses, so does the opera. The am-dram plays are popular, as are the many band and choir performances.

The cinema may not always be full, but still clock up thousands of visitors a year.

More and more professional shows are visiting Tenbury often before the move into the major cities.

The Regal is used by more people than all the other Town Council assets put together, which is why it annoys me (& others) when they spend far more maintaining other areas and have left the Regal short of money. Hopefully the Heritage Lottery Commission will pay for the restoration and then the Town Council will allow the Regal to be run on a more professional basis.

Anonymous said...

what does the regal do for 16 to 18 year olds nothing. tenbury is there future or perhaps NOT.its all about OAP all the time.

@WR15 said...

Films at the Regal are quite well supported by the 16 to 18 age group.

Also if the Lottery Award is made there will be a Heritage Access Officer who will be involving a wide cross section of the community in activities.

Suggestions about other activities are always welcome. What did you have in mind.

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