Site Event/Activity record ECH4713 - Regal Cinema, Northwich - Assessment for Listing

English Heritage (Listing) Advice Report ADDRESS: REGAL CINEMA, LONDON ROAD, NORTHWICH PARISH: NORTHWICH DISTRICT: VALE ROYAL COUNTY: CHESHIRE Case UID: 169535 Date 13 MAY 2010 RECOMMENDATION Outcome: No, do not list. Recommended Grade: NL. 28-JAN-2010. BACKGROUND: After examining all the papers on this file and other relevant information and having carefully considered the architectural and historic interest of this case: the criteria for listing are not fulfilled. CONTEXT The application to list this building has been prompted by concerns over possible plans for the site's redevelopment. The cinema was modernised and altered in the 1970s and ceased active use in 2007. Since this time the cinema's equipment and most of the seating have been removed and sold. The site forms part of the local authority's 'Northwich Vision', which is a large area within the town that has been identified as being in need of regeneration. The owner is looking to possibly sell the site for redevelopment in the future as part of this regeneration plan, although there is a local campaign to save the cinema building and bring it back into active use. The building is located within the Northwich conservation area. HISTORY The Regal Cinema was constructed in 193819 and opened on 28 January 1939 with the Vivien Leigh film, 'Storm in a Teacup'. The cinema was built by Robert Godfrey, owner of Cheshire County Cinemas Ltd, who had built another cinema in Northwich in 1928 known as The Plaza (now grade II listed and used as a bingo hall). Both cinema buildings have remained in the same family ownership since their original construction. The original capacity of The Regal was 1,059 (later reduced to 927) and a second screen with a capacity of 200 was added in the 1970s. The cinema closed on 6 January 2007. DESCRIPTION The Regal Cinema faces north-east onto London Road where the main entrance lies within a heavily altered low single-storey projection set to the north corner (front right) of the building. It has a relatively light construction formed of a metal frame set upon a brick plinth with breezeblock walls covered with corrugated iron cladding. The building is believed to have been constructed on piles due to the presence of former salt mines underneath Northwich and consequent subsidence problems in the area. The main auditorium is a massive corrugated iron clad feature set to the rear of the building with louvered ventilation panels and low single-storey projections to each rear corner containing toilets. To each north-west and south-east side are raised covered exits accessed by metal stairs; above that to the south-east side are a series of small multi-paned windows lighting the stair to the projection room. The cinema's original Art Deco stepped frontage and slender flat canopy to the north corner entrance have been replaced with a plain modernised front incorporating a late C20 heavy angled canopy placed across the whole of the upper half of the entrance. The entrance's original three sets of double doors have been replaced with modern doors and the original display cases have been removed. All three entrance doors are accessed by an altered concrete stair flight. To the left (south-east) of the main entrance is a much larger painted metal and corrugated iron-clad structure containing the cinema's second screen added in the 1970s. Internally the cinema has been modernised and most of the original fixtures and fittings have been removed. The entrance foyer is plain and contains an altered manager's office to the south-west corner. The foyer's south-east wall incorporates a heavily degraded mid-C20 painting (painted straight on to wall plaster) recalling the flooding of Northwich (including The Regal) by the River Dane in 1946. The foyer's veneer wall panels have been removed, although a small section survives to an inner raised foyer area that is set at a right angle to the rear of the entrance foyer. The inner foyer has a shallow curved ceiling and provides access to toilets, a small altered bar, and the 1970s auditorium (known as Regal Two). Replaced double doors at each end also provide access into the main auditorium (known as Regal One). The main auditorium has a 'stadium design', meaning that it is a single large space without an overhanging balcony. The original square fluted proscenium survives to the south-west end, but the screen and nearly all of the seating have been removed. The aisles have been widened (late C20) and the original 'Lover's Row' (seats for 2 people) has also been removed. Historic photographs show that the side walls immediately flanking the proscenium were originally shaped with wide arched alcoves incorporating lighting bands and highly decorative mouldings. It has been suggested that these features are now hidden underneath later false panels, although there is no evidence to support their survival. The photographs also show that there were large lozenge-shaped lighting panels to the ceiling, which have since been removed. A plain closed-well stair to the north-east corner of the auditorium leads up to the former projection suite, which is top-lit by circular skylights and has lost all of its original equipment. A parquet floor has also been removed from the projection room. The 1970s auditorium is small and wholly modern in character. It has also lost its seating and contains no decorative features of special interest. ASSESSMENT: CONSULTATION The owner responded to say that they had nothing to add to the initial report. The local authority responded with several comments relating to the architectural and historic interest of the Regal Cinema. They stated that the alterations carried out in the 1970s have 'dramatically altered the form of both the interior and exterior of the building' and that the building could not be said to make a positive contribution to the conservation area in which it sits. The local authority also stated that although the exterior could be said to be 'visually quite arresting' this was due to its scale and cladding rather than any architectural merit. Further comments were made relating to the lack of a complete or striking interior, and the interior's 'limited value'. They concluded by saying that the cinema's importance is 'one of memories and association, rather than physical importance'. No other responses were received. ASSESSMENT The Revised Principles of Selection for Listed Buildings (March 2010) state that after 1840, because of the greatly increased number of buildings erected and the much larger numbers that have survived, progressively greater selection is necessary. Due to the large number of cinemas built after 1914 the criteria for listing are more stringent and a high level of architectural quality and intactness both externally and internally is required for listing. Having been constructed in 1938-9 the Regal Cinema is of a relatively late date and falls towards the end of the main boom period of cinema building (the 1920s & 30s). After 1927-8 larger cinemas with a greater capacity started being built and the Regal Cinema is an example of the many medium-scale super cinemas seating around 1000 people that were constructed in provincial towns around the country at this time. Externally the cinema's elevations are extremely modest with no visible ornamentation or architectural treatment. This can be particularly seen in the main auditorium structure where the use of corrugated iron cladding provides it with an industrial design and appearance more in keeping with the style of a warehouse. This lack of exterior detailing is in stark contrast to other contemporary listed cinemas that incorporate a far higher level of architectural refinement and employ the use of high quality materials externally, such as brick, stone and faience to dramatic effect. Examples include the Odeon Cinema, Blackpool (1938-9, grade Il) with its striking cubic massing and brick and faience-clad exterior that retains its original queue canopy; the Modernestyle Wallaw Cinema, Blyth, Northumberland (1937, grade 11); and the Art Deco former Capitol Cinema, Nottingham (1936-7, grade Il) with its curved brick and reconstituted stone frontage and central fin. Unlike these listed contemporaries the Regal Cinema's plain, unadorned styling and blank elevations fail to identify the building externally as a cinema; there are no windows or signage to attract and entice patrons in, and the building makes no use of 'night architecture' i.e. bands of light and back-lit windows to make the building stand out at night. Historic photographs reveal that the building originally had a stepped Art Deco frontage with an elegant flat canopy and glazed entrance doors. Unfortunately this subtle and elegantly designed entrance (and the sole element of the building that incorporated any form of architectural treatment) has since been replaced by an unsympathetic and heavy modern frontage that has severely compromised the building's original historic character and architectural integrity. The addition of the adjacent large structure containing the 1970s screen has further compounded this loss of character and it is unsympathetic in its scale and massing to the low single-storey entrance projection. The modest styling and lack of ornamentation to the Regal's exterior is carried through to the interior, which lacks the high quality decorative schemes of other listed cinemas of a comparable date, such as the Granada Cinema, Kingston upon Thames (1939, grade II listed), which possesses a decorative interior by the renowned Russian designer, Theodore Komisarjevsky; the Northwick Cinema, Worcester (1938, grade II), which has over life size plaster figures of mythical figures: horses and chariots flanking the proscenium; and the Rex Cinema; Berkhamsted (1938, grade II), which has rich Art Deco decoration. In contrast, the Regal has lost virtually all of its original decoration and features following alterations and modernisation carried out from the 1970s onwards, which have severely compromised the building's intactness and historic character. These alterations have affected every area of the building, including the projection suite, which has lost all of its original equipment and a parquet floor belonging to the projection room. The main and inner foyers have also been heavily altered and are now plain open spaces devoid of any decoration, except for the small fragmentary survival of sections of veneer wall panelling. The wall painting of the Northwich flood in the main foyer is an interesting feature that recalls a significant local event. However, it is a later addition to the cinema that has incurred significant later damage and as such, it is of local rather than national interest. In keeping with the rest of the interior the main auditorium is modestly styled with a simple stadium design and blank walls. Originally (as shown in historic photographs) the auditorium possessed a higher level of detailing than the blank open space that now survives, and although the square proscenium with a fluted streamlined surround survives there are no other indicators of the building's 1930s origins. Key features, such as the cinema screen and a series of large lozengeshaped ceiling lighting panels have been lost, the curved side walls have been altered and their original mould decoration and arched lighting alcoves removed, and the aisles have been widened and seating removed. Together these losses have significantly degraded the character and appearance of the auditorium. Although it has been suggested that some of the side wall mouldings possibly survive under later plyboard there has been no proof provided of their survival and it is believed that they were actually removed during the 1970s modernisation works. However, should the mouldings survive, this would not compensate for the overall modest nature of the building's design and the extensive alteration that has taken place. The smaller 1970s auditorium has a standard design and is modern in character and appearance. As such, it does not possess any special architectural or historic interest. It has been suggested that the lightweight construction of the Regal Cinema is of special interest in reflecting Northwich's history as a salt mining centre. However, although its construction is unusual this does not necessarily equate to special interest within a national context. Any innovation that the building might possess is not expressed in its architecture and is outweighed by its overall lack of architectural merit and the high level of alteration that has taken place. As such, it is considered that the building's construction is of local rather than national interest. In assessing the Regal Cinema for inclusion on the statutory list it is felt necessary to make comparison with its grade II listed sister cinema, The Plaza, which is also located in Northwich. Although built for the same small local chain, the classically styled Plaza (1928, grade II) shows a far higher level of decoration and attention to detail in its design both externally and internally than the Regal. Significantly, the Plaza also survives with little alteration and retains the majority of its original features and interior decorative scheme. SOURCES Eyles A. 2005. Old Cinemas. Princes Risborough: Shire Publications Ltd. Gray R. 1996. Cinemas in Britain: One Hundred Years of Cinema Architecture. London: Lund Humphries Publishers. CONCLUSION With a plainly detailed exterior and interior that has been further compromised by extensive alteration it is considered that within a national context the Regal Cinema does not fulfil the criteria for listing. Consequently it is recommended not to list. REASONS FOR DESIGNATION DECISION: The Regal Cinema, constructed in 1938-9 for Cheshire County Cinemas Ltd, is not recommended for designation for the following principal reasons: * Architectural interest: It possesses modest architectural styling both externally and internally with blank elevations and minimal decoration that lacks the refined detailing of other listed cinemas of a comparative date * Design quality: Its design incorporates the use of lower quality materials, including corrugated iron cladding, that are purely functional in character and provide the building with an industrial design and appearance * Alteration: It has incurred extensive alteration to both the exterior and interior following modernisation works carried out in the 1970s, which has resulted in significant losses, such as the original Art Deco frontage, the original decorative interior scheme and the original projection VISITS 28-JAN-201 0 Full inspection Inspection also made of the Regal's nearby sister cinema, The Plaza (1928, grade II listed). COUNTERSIGNING Countersigning Comments: Agreed. This modest cinema fails to achieve the levels of architectural and design quality required by the selection criteria for cinemas of this date; this is further compounded by the significant impact of external and internal alteration 17-04-201 0. Second Countersigning Comments: Agreed. This cinema is heavily altered and does not merit designation in the national context. 25.04.1 0