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Photos of Wigan
Photos of Wigan



Photo-a-Day Archive
Photo-a-Day Archive

Photo-a-Day  (Friday, 8th July, 2022)

Regal Cinema


Regal Cinema
The former Regal Cinema, Lower Ince.

Photo: Mick Byrne  (Panasonic DMC-TZ100)
Views: 2,052

Comment by: Syd Smith on 8th July 2022 at 07:10

Now this brings back some memories, last film I watched at the Regal was Old Yeller, it was about a dog.

Comment by: Anne on 8th July 2022 at 07:24

Following closure as a cinema it became Kattenburgs (spelling) sewing factory. I never knew anyone working there.

Comment by: irene roberts on 8th July 2022 at 10:26

My brothers, (both many years my senior), used to go to The Regal as little lads, and my Mam remembered taking a neighbour's little lad along with them one day. During a scene in the film when it was raining on the cinema screen, he tugged at my Mam's coat and said, "Tizzie, it's rainin' an' ah've not browt me cap!" I only remember it as Kattenburg's Sewing Factory.

Comment by: Ste Jordan on 8th July 2022 at 11:56

I was born in Bryn Street

Comment by: Poet on 8th July 2022 at 16:15

Matinée

The velvet curtain embroidered with gold ,
The smokey bars of flickering silver
Splashing the screen with movie stars .

Usherettes with torches , and girls in yellow smocks
Selling ice-cream from trays with lamps on little sticks ,
The EXIT signs glowing like emeralds in the dark .

The ashtrays on the backs of seats ,
The Intermission . The Pearl and Dean adverts ,
Standing up when someone needed to pass .

The darkness coming again,
The tentative arm across her shoulder
With eyes fixed on the film .

Walking out as the credits play
Into the light of the street , realising suddenly
That it's still day .

Comment by: irene roberts on 8th July 2022 at 16:32

Poet....that sums it up perfectly! And the adverts for Rathbone's Gold Medal Bread and local shops. My boyfriend took me to see Bonnie and Clyde at The Ritz in Wigan. I was 15, he was 17. He bought a box of Clarnico Mint Creams from the kiosk and led me up the shallow carpeted steps to the back row. He never took his eyes off the screen, ate all the peppermint creams without offering me one and made me come out before the end because they all got shot! Believe it or not, I am still with him!

Comment by: Marky on 8th July 2022 at 17:13

Like that one Irene .
When I was a big lad at school I took a neighbours little girl to school . One freezing Winters day , I said to her , are tha knees knocking ? She said , no , that’s mi teef, I left mi knees in front of fire place . She was only bout 6 or 7

Comment by: James Hanson on 8th July 2022 at 18:24

Irene said, ".... and made me come out before the end because they all got shot! "

He was only doing the 'Wigan Walk' Irene.

Comment by: Dave a on 8th July 2022 at 18:38

Poet , the only part I mention about your wonderful poem is the ‘standing up when someone needed to pass’ . I go to the theatre a lot where I live and if you go to see a Noel Coward play , for example , they will indeed stand as you say , BUT , only if you are one of them ! You trying coming late with a centre row seat and not being one of them , they grunt , groan and grumble , stand ? Are you kidding ! Over many years I have watched this , and know exactly what you mean Poet , but is a courtesy I question and have seen many times , which belongs to another place in time , and indeed breeding , but only ! As if you should already have it .
I came from a Council Estate , so going to the pictures was rare , theatre , are you mad . I never even heard the word .
Theatres in London are packed out now with the American Dream . The language is not English , it’s American English , the most spoken word across the globe . The courtesy you mention , is not from the era of Hamburgers and a very large milk shake! The world has change hugely , and this courtesy is obvious to some but more so to the ignorant ..

Comment by: Cyril on 8th July 2022 at 20:14

Mick, when you were taking the photo did you know that cousin Joan Charman nee Broadbent and husband Brian lived in the bungalow behind this old cinema, they lived on Windleshaw Street. Brian was the son of Councillor Charman who served on Ince council, he lived on Christopher Street.

Irene, did you buy the two Pit and Miners Tales books, if so are they a good buy - they certainly look interesting.

Comment by: Billy Bassett. on 8th July 2022 at 20:18

"Bassetts Clarnico Mint Creams - the original peppermint cream with a soft and creamy centre covered in a crispy white shell. Now for a little bit of a history, did you know these were first made way back in 1872 by three people. Their names were Clarke, Nickolls and Coombes. Take the first few letters of each name and you get Clar-Ni-Co. Not a lot of people know that."

Comment by: irene roberts on 8th July 2022 at 20:53

Billy Bassett, I never knew that! Cyril, I have been in touch with the author of the pit books and ordered them. I can't organise payment for them until tomorrow, then I should hopefully receive them some time next week. I'll let you know what they're like. xxxx

Comment by: Thomas Gerard on 8th July 2022 at 21:11

Windleshaw Street, eh.? In Ince? There's a coincidence.

https://www.windleshawchantry.com/images/easyblog_shared/chantryd.jpg

Comment by: George (Hindley) on 8th July 2022 at 21:31

That Billy Basset's a reet liquorice allsort.

Comment by: Bill on 10th July 2022 at 05:31

Saturday afternoons at the Regal, kids matinee then over to Britannia Bridge playing field to watch the open age rugby. Not much grass on the field in those days, proper hard men and plenty scuffles so exciting times for kids.
Then off up to little jungle to swing in the trees for an hour, before back into Higher Ince and home to a jam butty.
Those were the days!

Comment by: Bill morton on 11th July 2022 at 10:47

My Grandad, Tom Atherton owned and ran the cinema and then my Uncle, also Tom Atherton. They also owned the Picture House in Scholes. Have spent many hours in them both when a child.

Comment by: Veronica on 16th July 2022 at 15:06

I practically lived at the Scholes Picture House. My favourite homely picture house. You can all keep your red velvet plush seats, I would go back in an instant if I could to the old wooden seats where a crick in the neck was obligatory after sitting through Flash Gordon and the Clay Men, Hopalong Cassidy, The Three Stoogies, the Dead End Kids, Superman and Jungle Jim el al. Not forgetting Tarzan and Cheetah chirruping in the jungle - Haohao! As Tarzan swung through the trees! Oh! What great memories.

Comment by: Karen Baxendale on 1st September 2024 at 15:59

My Nan, Annie Lowe worked as cleaner when it was Regal Cinema and Kattenburgs.

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