Newcastle City Council is seeking to terminate the lease of the historic Birmingham Gardens Cinema exhibitor who has operated the theatre since the mid 1960s. There are strong community concerns that there are plans to redevelop the site depriving Newcastle City of its last suburban cinema, which was built by the community. The Trust’s Friends of Tomago have planned their annual fund-raiser at the theatre in late October and the Trust will be supporting the community campaign to save this cinema.

 

Then we should continue: - 

This cinema was built as a community hall in 1932 and became the Regal in the late 1940s with a projection box constructed over the entrance vestibule. The current lessee Mr Bruce Avard has operated the cinema since the mid 1960s. The cinema shows arthouse and foreign language movies, has a faithful audience of regular attendees and is very much a viable operation.

 

The Trust strongly urges that Penrith Council zone the entire site for conservation purposes and rejects any proposal for residential development.

 

Images – David Griffin & Les Tod