The Regal Cinema was built on the site of Ward's End Hall and an earlier bus station.
It was designed by William Riddell Glen [1884-1950].
The cinema was opened by Mayor Frank Watkinson on 19th September 1938. There were originally 688 seats in the circle and 1,250 in the stalls.
The Cinema building and the adjoining shops in Alexandra Street are listed.
The first films to be shown were a public school story Housemaster, starring Otto Kruger, and a romantic farm story called Checkers with Jane Withers.
In 1961, it became the ABC, and in 1976 became a three-screen complex.
In 1986, it became the Cannon.
In 199?, it reverted to become the ABC.
In 2002, it was the last remaining commercial cinema in Halifax.
At the beginning of 2002, the Council opposed plans to convert the cinema into a night-club.
The cinema gave its last presentation – Spiderman – on Tuesday, 25th June 2002, before closing for a £2·8m redevelopment into Jumpin' Jak's theme bar and nightclub – filling a unique gap [sic!] in the local leisure scene. Good old Calderdale Council!
It has since been a sequence of short-lived bars and clubs, including Jumpin' Jacks, The Groove, and Chicago's
This & associated entries use material which was kindly contributed by Ivan Birch
Page Ref: MMR319
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