Full house on re-opening night at Regent cinema

And owner Richard Taylor has pledged to continue showing classic films of yesteryear, to give film fans an alternative to modern multiplexes showing the latest releases.

The Church Street cinema, revamped over two years, reopened its doors to the public on Friday.

Richard said: “It was a full house on Friday for Pulp Fiction and everyone that came was really supportive.

Owner Richard Taylor with a snogging chair

“There was applause at the end of the film, and you just don’t get that in the big chains any more.

“And we were three-quarters full on Saturday for Back To The Future.

“I ws really surprised that we had people in from the age of 18 to 65 on Friday. I thought we might have an older crowd but we got a real mix.

“Cinemas like this are more personal – there’s a charm to them.

“New big cinemas are often sterile and I don’t think the new releases are as good as older films.

“Once you’ve seen them once, that’s it.

“But the likes of Back To The Future, you’ll sit and watch that every time you see it on TV.”

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Next up at the cinema is the 1986 modern classic, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, starring a Young Matthew Broderickand Mia Sara.

And 1942 classic Casablanca,starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman, will grace the Regent screen on Sunday.

Now, Richard is looking to tie-in with Rebellion, the resort’s annual punk festival, taking place from Thursday to Sunday.

Richard, who has spent the past two years getting the cinema back into shape, said: “I’m just in talks with Rebellion to see what we could put on, something that would tie in with the festival, on Saturday.”

The cinema has reopened its doors with many features not found in the modern multiplex – including double ‘snogging’ seats on the back row for couples. They quickly sold out for the first show.

Preesall businessman Richard put the first film the cinema would show out to the public vote, with Quentin Tarantino’s violent, highly-regarded, Pulp Fiction – starring John Travolta, Samuel L Jackson, Bruce Willis and Uma Thurman to name just a few – the clear winner.

The original cinema closed in 1971, and had been a bingo hall and Riley’s American Pool Hall since.

It was designed by Blackpool-based architects Lumb and Watson and opened in 1921. It has a distinctive dome in the baroque style and a white tiled facade.

It was given Grade II Listed status on February 23 this year.

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