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The Solway came under the banner The operator of the new theatre
of Union Theatres, apparently as a sub- was a company set up especially for the
lease from Griffiths and Wests’. During purpose. Northern Theatres Pty. Ltd.
the mid-twenties plans to modernise or seems to have been a joint venture
rebuild the theatre were considered. between Hoyts Theatres Ltd. and
Sketches from architects Klingender Griffiths and West’s. The size and
and Hamilton show a façade rebuilt as grandeur of the project was remarkable
an eighteenth-century manor house. given the proximity of the site to the
Griffiths and Wests’ had a close large city theatres already open or soon
relationship with the Hoyts Pictures to be. The theatre would be only 2.5 km
company and it is clear that it was from the Regent Collins Street also
Hoyts influence and support at a under construction. The decision makers
financial and technical level that pushed must have been emboldened by the
through the construction of a prestige success of the Regent South Yarra; but
theatre, rather than renovation of a run- at least that theatre was 4 straight km
down premises. from Collins Street and further by road.
Prior to May 1928 a proposal was The working name on the plans was
submitted to demolish the Solway and Edwin Byer, Manager of the Solway. Byer Solway, but with Hoyts in the
replace it with a much larger structure. later became Joint Managing Director for background and with a design that held
The architect was Charles Hollinshed Northern Theatres Pty Ltd and Griffiths to the principles of how a Hoyts Regent
of Melbourne, a man and West’s. should look, it was inevitable that it
establishing a reputation would open as a Regent.
for superior theatres. His firm had The Regent Collins Street opened
already designed for J. C. Williamsons on 15 March 1929 and Fitzroy on 5
the Comedy Melbourne (1928), and April. The daily newspapers did not
now they would do the new Fitzroy report the opening, nor advertise the
theatre and the Regent Brisbane program, suggesting that after the
(1929), as well as two ballyhoo surrounding the opening of
cinemas in New the State and the Regent, editors judged
Zealand. that another theatre, even a grand one,
was not newsworthy. Fitzroy did not
have a local free press at the time
either. What is known is that Two
Lovers with Ronald Colman and Vilma
Banky moved-over from Collins
Street to be the opening
attraction.

The entrance on Johnston Street looking west. Plain masonry marks a style break from earlier Regents. The big poster is for
Mad About Music with Deanna Durbin, which dates the image as 1938. Hoyts added their standard neon years later.

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