The Regal Cinema

The Regal Cinema is a cinema built in 1937 by Ernest S Roberts for Clifton Cinemas. It is located on Teme Street in Tenbury Wells. The building is constructed of brick with a rendered facade, and the roof is hidden behind a high parapet. It features a rectangular auditorium set behind a three-story facade, with a shop situated on either side of the central cinema entrance.

The front facade is deliberately understated to blend with the historic character of the town. It is rendered with unmoulded pilasters, a frieze, and a cornice; the continuation of the pilasters is suggested by the undulating rhythm of the parapet. The facade is three bays wide, with casement windows on the upper floors, arranged in a tripartite pattern with horizontal panes. The original canopy has been removed, but central steps lead to the original timber double doors of the foyer, with a central rail. Glazed shopfronts flank the entrance, with a setback door; the shopfront to number 47 remains largely unchanged.

Inside, the foyer retains a terrazzo floor, a coved cornice, timber doors, and an Art Deco paybox made of green, brass, and glass. Original billboards are present. The auditorium has a single, stadium-style raked floor and a high, flat ceiling with a coved cornice and a central lay light. The side and back walls are decorated with Mediterranean scenes by George Legge, created in 1937. The canopies over the projection portals are a notable example of trompe l'oeil artistry. A square proscenium is flanked by grilles on either side, and further grilles are integrated into the mural design within the side walls. The seating is in a Moderne style with streamlined ends. Hanging wall lights are partially concealed by later strip lighting. Murals were once common in cinemas, but this auditorium contains the most complete surviving set.

Ernest Roberts, a Birmingham-based architect specializing in cinemas, was skilled in designing appropriately sized cinemas for smaller towns. This building is a rare survival and is distinguished by its excellent contemporary murals.