Photo: Chris Bentley, Ormskirk Bygone Times

A petition's started to save one of Ormskirk's architectural gems - the old Regal cinema.

Now threatened with demolition under plans to close Poundstretcher and its landlord's optimistic plans to attract a New Look store to Church St., the art deco building opened on 26th January 1936 with a stage production of Gilbert & Sullivan’s “Yeoman of the Guard”, presented by the Ormskirk Operatic & Dramatic Society; the first films were screened on 10th February 1936.

Designed by Liverpool based architect Lionel A.G. Pritchard, the Regal Cinema had seating provided in stalls & circle levels. It had a 34 feet wide proscenium, with a decent sized stage and an orchestra pit. Lighting in the auditorium was contained in troughs in the ceiling. It was equipped with a Western Electric sound system.

The Regal Cinema was operating as a part-time cinema in the early-1960’s, with bingo on certain nights of the week. By the mid-1960’s, it had closed as a cinema and converted to a full-time bingo club. This continued into the early-1980’s, when the bingo club closed.

Before Poundstretcher took over the lease, it was a Tesco then Tesco Metro which closed in April 2015 - Church St. has never been the same since...

QLocal reporter Roger Blaxall texted Carol Bentham who's started the petition and is currently on holiday in Tenerife; he'll update the story on her return. If you want to sign it, a copy's in Dempsey's café on Burscough St.

SAY NO! TO ANY MORE OFF SITE EXPANSION OF EDGE HILL INTO ORMSKIRK AND THE LOCAL AREA. PUT RESIDENTS FIRST!


I’m some times accused of being a student hater! I have absolutely no issue with most students but I do have issues with the way WLBC have consistently and over a period of many year ignored the needs of tax paying residents and allowing the needs of the University to take priority. Now it is quite evident the Labour lead Council is intent on turning what is left of the town centre into an off campus student accommodation site!


This is now possibly the last time we Residents will have a chance to stop this madness! It’s time to make your concerns known!


Make no mistake! The Vice chancellor of Edge Hill is the leader of a massive business who puts Edge Hill first and foremost and over many years has demonstrated absolutely no concern for the damage he has done to the cohesion or well being of local residents and the town centre, his concerns are purely driven on how he can get what he needs to expand his empire.


I’m sick and tired of being told just how much the University is pumping into the local economy, well there is precious little evidence of it in and around Ormskirk. The only thing I see is what Edge Hill wants it gets. It’s time to put resident first and a good start to this would be to make student landlords pay council tax, you know, like the rest of us have too, licence student accommodation and stop the expansion of Edge Hill.


SAY NO! TO ANY MORE OFF SITE EXPANSION OF EDGE HILL INTO ORMSKIRK AND THE LOCAL AREA. PUT RESIDENTS FIRST!

https://www.change.org/p/mp-rosie-co..._abi.gmail_abi

Originally Posted by rogerblaxall

Photo: Chris Bentley, Ormskirk Bygone Times

A petition's started to save one of Ormskirk's architectural gems - the old Regal cinema.

Now threatened with demolition under plans to close Poundstretcher and its landlord's optimistic plans to attract a New Look store to Church St., the art deco building opened on 26th January 1936 with a stage production of Gilbert & Sullivan’s “Yeoman of the Guard”, presented by the Ormskirk Operatic & Dramatic Society; the first films were screened on 10th February 1936.

Designed by Liverpool based architect Lionel A.G. Pritchard, the Regal Cinema had seating provided in stalls & circle levels. It had a 34 feet wide proscenium, with a decent sized stage and an orchestra pit. Lighting in the auditorium was contained in troughs in the ceiling. It was equipped with a Western Electric sound system.

The Regal Cinema was operating as a part-time cinema in the early-1960’s, with bingo on certain nights of the week. By the mid-1960’s, it had closed as a cinema and converted to a full-time bingo club. This continued into the early-1980’s, when the bingo club closed.

Before Poundstretcher took over the lease, it was a Tesco then Tesco Metro which closed in April 2015 - Church St. has never been the same since...

QLocal reporter Roger Blaxall texted Carol Bentham who's started the petition and is currently on holiday in Tenerife; he'll update the story on her return. If you want to sign it, a copy's in Dempsey's café on Burscough St.

altough it’s an old cinema I doubt it will ever be put back in to use let’s face it it’s been closed since the 1960s as a cinema ? It would be nice to preserve an old building but I doubt that will happen ? If all the residents are that bothered why didn’t they buy the building ? Answer because they probably can’t afford it . And if the landlord left it as it is it would be an empty building by sept and would become an eyesore ? So does anyone have any other suggestions

Originally Posted by jester01

altough it’s an old cinema I doubt it will ever be put back in to use let’s face it it’s been closed since the 1960s as a cinema ? It would be nice to preserve an old building but I doubt that will happen ? If all the residents are that bothered why didn’t they buy the building ? Answer because they probably can’t afford it . And if the landlord left it as it is it would be an empty building by sept and would become an eyesore ? So does anyone have any other suggestions

It's already an eyesore. I'm one for supporting and preserving old buildings if they have a suitable and viable use and are architecturally special, but it's ugly and would need far too much investment to make it even remotely viable. If a building that size can't keep tesco happy, it's not gonna work for anyone.