Former Regal Cinema

This list entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 16/03/2018

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KINGSTON UPON THAMES RICHMOND ROAD 22-30, Former Regal Cinema

(Formerly listed RICHMOND ROAD, 22-30 Bingo Hall and Kingston Dance Studio, previously listed as: RICHMOND ROAD Regal Cinema)

13-APR-93

II Former cinema, now bingo club and dance studios. 1930 to the designs of Robert Cromie as the Regal Cinema. Brown brick over rendered and banded plinth, with areas of plaster and faience decoration concentrated around the entrance and cornice. Rectangular plan with double-height hall, having balcony, accessed from foyers on two levels, the upper one with tea room now serving as dance studios entered separately from side street. Boiler house with chimney at rear.

Main elevation to Richmond Road has entrance near corner, with banded and rendered ground floor forming plinth to tall largely blind facade, with nine giant pilasters under linked band, and fluted concrete cornice. Four stepped or 'fountain style' Art Deco niches within this composition. Entrance is through four original pairs of double doors reached up steps and set under four stylised Ionic pilasters with wave and floral motifs between, in faience tile surround. Canopy to entrance now covered in plastic. Foyer with tripartite ceiling, a series of Art Deco panels and four fluted columns. Auditorium has proscenium arch with very rhythmic modified Greek design, repeated under balcony. Full-height fluting and Art Deco 'fountain' style niches to ante-proscenium ventilation and organ chambers. Wavy oval inset coves to ceiling and under balcony, with arcading to upper side walls incorporating original light fittings. Balcony fronts with fasces and lion's head masks.

Dance studio on first-floor level in former tea rooms. Five bay hall with sprung floor, with full-length seating area behind separated by fluted square columns and paralleled by pilasters on the rear wall. Mirrors in Art Deco 'fountain' motif surrounds. Small stage on opposite. Deep coved ceiling and cornices, with 1950s light fittings.

Source Malcolm Webb, London's Suburban Cinemas, Amber Valley, 1987

Former dressing rooms and office areas not of special interest.

Included as an early and well-preserved example of an Art Deco cinema from the 1930s, and a good, rare example of the work of a major cinema architect, Robert Cromie. Many of Cromie's designs were for Davies or Union cinemas, and consequently do not survive.