Pahīatua’s Regent back up and running

The expansive mural on the exterior wall of the Regent Pahīatua. Photo / Derrick Sims

After months of uncertainty, Pahīatua’s Regent cinema is now able to reopen.

Spokesman Peter Lea says the cinema had to close for various reasons “at least six months ago” and he was pleased to announce its return with movies from this Thursday.

Peter says a new manager has been appointed, to work part-time, and there are a lot of volunteers who have been helping out, which he is grateful for.

“They’re the only reason it stays open in a lot of cases.”

He says he’s had a lot of queries from the general public on the situation with the cinema, so he knew there was interest in it.

According to the history on the cinema’s website, it was back in the 1970s when there were rumblings that the company that owned the cinema, Kerridge, was looking to sell it off, and it was looking likely it would be turned into a furniture warehouse.

So David Lea made a deal and the Repertory Society was able to buy the building. It was then split off into a downstairs theatre for live performances, and an upstairs cinema.

Many years later, Peter says, they were able to get grants from the Eastern and Central Community Trust, as well as power companies, and were able to put in new projectors and a new screen.

Then they had the opportunity to buy a whole lot of seats, so a big group of volunteers left Pahīatua at 4am one morning for Wellington with a furniture truck to pick up the seats, and were back in the early afternoon.

It’s that kind of spirit that has kept the cinema going.

“People really do want the cinema to survive,” Peter says.

The cinema has always been “a vital part of the community” and he can recall going to the movies when he was younger, when it was 600 seats and filled to capacity.

It’s clearly something he doesn’t want to see the community lose.

The cinema will never make a fortune and in most cases will probably only break even, which is why the volunteers are sorely needed.

Peter says they can always use more, and at the moment they are looking for one or two people who can run the cinema’s social media.

They’re also looking for someone who can apply for grants, which, with the amount of paperwork involved, isn’t an easy task.

“Not everyone can do those things,” he says.

The need for grants is continuous and there are a few small projects they need help with, such as redoing the front, LED signs, new lighting inside and lighting for the stairs.

However, Peter says the biggest problem they are facing is earthquake strengthening.

Under earthquake regulations, some improvements need to be made, but it will be costly, and because the cinema is on a main thoroughfare, they have roughly seven years to get the work done.

If anyone is willing to offer their time as a volunteer, they can contact Peter by emailing the Regent regentpahiatua@xtra.co.nz.