Page 2 - CR
P. 2

Melbourne’s



                                                            North
                                                            Preston &
                                                           Thornbury


                                                            By Shane Moore

                                                 After a short drive to the adjacent
                                              suburb of Thornbury, our next
                                              inspection was the original (1915)
                                              Thornbury Picture Theatre.
                                                 Located at 911 High St, at one  Since closing as a cinema, the
                                              time it was also known as the Rio  Regent served as a reception centre
                                              and was built on the site of the  for many years - however new
                 espite somewhat cool and wet   original open-air show.        owners have now renamed it The
             D conditions, on Saturday 23rd                                    Thornbury Theatre and it has
                                                 The auditorium has been divided
             October 2010 a healthy contingent                                 become a multi-purpose venue
                                              horizontally and now contains a
             of CATHS members and friends met                                  presenting events as varied as
                                              Dance Studio upstairs whilst a
             at our first venue for inspection, this                           wrestling matches, live music
                                              Nightclub occupies the ground floor.
             being the former Rivoli Theatre in                                concerts and receptions etc.
                                              Few traces of its cinema origins
             West Preston.
                                              remain.                            A Certificate of Appreciation was
                CATHS had previously visited                                   presented to each of our hosts and
                                                 A few doors away, keen
             the Rivoli in 2001 and we once                                    received with great enthusiasm.
                                              photographers noted the former
             again received a warm welcome
                                              Planet Theatre — now a furniture
             from our hosts Joe and Michael.                                   Tour Organizers:
                                              showroom.
             Little has changed inside the                                     Shane Moore and Barrie Wraith
                                                 A short walk along High Street
             building during that time and it                                  Photographs courtesy of
                                              brought the group to the Thornbury’s
             remains a distribution centre for                                 Mike Trickett and Kevin Adams.
                                              former (1925) Regent Theatre.
             fancy bottles, trigger sprays and
             other plastic products.             Hoyts Theatres were the
                                              proprietors from the early 1930s until
                The balcony, foyers, proscenium
                                              closure in June 1967. Despite the
             and bio-box areas remain extant, as
                                              horizontal dividing of the huge, wide
             well as many of the original light
                                              auditorium space, many original
             fittings.
                                              features still remain. These include
                Historically, the theatre had opened
                                              the beautiful foyers and much plaster
             in November 1935 with some 870
                                              decoration throughout; however the
             seats and closure came in 1958.
                                              upstairs gallery seating has been
                                              removed since CATHS last visit.
















          2   2010 CINEMARECORD
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