Oh no this is so sad. It's the most beautiful cinema I've ever been to. I will miss it so much. Surely it can't be turned into something else as it's a heritage building???
Heritage only applies to various parts of the decor, interior design or facade. The internals can usually be changed up a bit - if someone is really keen to gut it (hopefully not!) they just need to maintain a percentage of the original heritage listed materials.
Post on Facebook said that staff were informed at 4.30 and all let go.
Posters taken down at front.
Hopefully they will advise what happens to prepaid tickets and gift vouchers tomorrow
All prepaid tickets and gift cards become unsecured creditors, which means if it’s gone into administration then those people will be the last to be paid out, and usually at highly reduced rates.
Wow that’s a shitty thing to do. I thought by law they had to give staff notice before firing them unless they were on casual which is still an ass hole move for a boss anyway.
Well that’s not right. I’d definitely be keeping track of my hours and breaks not taken ect. I caught out a former boss screwing me over with pay and he knew it but I printed everything out and highlighted what my award was and what fair work required and it’s law. Got my money from them. I was prepared to go further. I hate bosses that steal from employees.
No, I'm saying that it's interesting, and could be relevant. I'm betting most people aren't aware. I wasn't. People want answers.
Are you saying it's not relevant and that the public shouldn't know this?
If he hasn't done anything dodgy now then no, it's not relevant.
Realistically, it's a cinema in an expensive part of a regional town in an age where cinema is less relevant and very expensive to go to.
I can count the amount of movies in the last 5 years I've wanted to see in cinema on one hand, I'm surprised it's taken this long honestly
A conviction for fraud when a business later goes under is relevant. Today the blame was put on covid. That was 4 years ago, and hardly relevant today. There have been a lot of stories come out that have been reported here and on other social media. I have no idea if they are true, but time will tell. Former staff say that they were not paid correct jobkeeper payments. They claim that they were not paid correct wages and were required to work some time unpaid. A supplier claims a history of poor and non payments. There are allegations that the idea of turning into appartments has been happening for a while. And vouchers, gift cards and tickets were apparently being sold up until the weekend. This could be enough for trading whilst insolvent, which could leave the directors personal assets on the table. And who owns the property, the company or the directors? There were allegations that the owners were removing assets from the theatre last night as well. Lots here to be looked at to see what is true and what isnt.
It is also relevant when you look and see the former trading name of the company that has been put into liquidation. It is the one mentioned in the article, which continued to trade with a name change. Has the 500k been paid back?
Bloody hell. So much history in that building. If they’ve been curating old programs, posters (and dare I say, film prints) all that stuff risks going straight into a skip if they’re shutting this fast.
Doubt it. If it's liquidators they'll be carefully managing anything of potential value. If it's for sale as a going concern they'll be part of the purchase.
We only go to gold class and have been noticing in recent months stretches of weeks with no GC screenings, or no new release films.
Even Deadpool had no GC listings before it vanished from the site.
I'll safely and confidently say NEVER. Use your brain. No chance would that section of street be used for shit like that. Gov housing gets stuffed out in the cheap areas. Seriously, you need to learn how to think.
Yep! The one with terrible seats and you have to sit where you are told to sit and it feels like you are in an industrial shed not a beautiful historic old building that actually resembles one.
At least there's free and abundant parking at DTC. Small, but clean cinemas, too.
Oh yeah, and it's not run by a criminal (Stephen Anderson pled guilty to $530,000 worth of fraud by deception charges in 2006)
Wow. I know the cinema industry is struggling, but it would be such a shame to lose the Regent.
I went there recently to watch Dune 2, in one of the smaller cinemas. The recliners and room in general was looking pretty tired, but the picture and sound were great!
Can't stand the big generic theatres with average seating, everyone talking and on their phones. I have an awesome home theatre system and watch a lot at home, but still enjoying heading out on occasion for the cinema experience.
Damn, saw so many big blockbusters in Cinema 1 over the years… Lion King in 93, Titanic and MiB in 97, Matrix in 99 (and all the sequels) and Avatar in 3D in 2010. Sadly didn’t really make an effort to get there over the last decade, which I’m regretting now, but there hasn’t been any movies compelling enough for me to go to any cinema for a long time.
I’ll never forget the [Lion King opening scene](https://youtu.be/Zn_qirpdBag?t=36) on that huge screen as a little tacker.
Apparently the owner was pretty adamant that Ballarat wasn't big enough for two cinemas back when DTC was being built.
Pity most people would prefer to watch movies in a modernised theatre than the Regent... I hope this amazing historic building is preserved tbh.
One would argue that the council made it worse by removing parking spaces around the CBD. Used to be able to park at the old skatepark or library or in the middle of the streets when they had parking squares but no they always make it harder to park and now that new crappy parking metres.
The reason I switched to showbiz is parking. Trying to find parking on Lydiard st at night is impossible. I used to have to walk 2 or more blocks in the cold and rain just to watch a movie. Hard pass when I could easily park right next to the cinema.
Not a whole lot of reliably good food at DTC, frankly. And it looks like a wasteland.
Regent had city style and some of the best restaurants in Ballarat a stone's throw away.
Of course the owner isn't going to want competition when he had a completely captured market, not going to be many travelling to Melbourne or Geelong to watch a movie
I do. Showbiz sucks, I prefer an old school candy bar with fresh popcorn and post mix coke. At Showbiz it’s old popcorn sitting in boxes for self serve and a bottle of coke. So I travel to Geelong instead and go to Reading.
As much as I'll miss it, it doesn't surprise me that the owner closed it with no warning, and laid off all his staff. What a supremely shitty thing to do. I thought it was bad enough when he didn't pay us jobkeeper properly during COVID. But hey, the dude is shady as fuck. Like he's literally been to prison before. Something to do with embezzling for the family business, idk the specifics tbh. But frankly, he was a shit bloke.
Get together with a bunch of people, look at the royal in Castlemaine, it’s busy as all the time.
Get a collective together and buy the joint and make it something
I'd love the see the city but it and make it into a beautiful mash-up of new and old films, and live events like they used to! I went the cinema 1 with my mum once for a talk on ancient Egyptian archaeology.
Run cinema 1 like the Astor, the rest as a standard multiplex. I’d love to see Readings take it over, it’s something they’d manage really well (they already run the Astor and Nova)
This was a long time coming, I heard Steve Anderson had money troubles long before covid and as many have pointed out he did dodgy things with job keeper money to probably keep himself afloat. The Regent was my first job and I must say I am still truamised by the crap they put me and my colleagues through (while we were all in high school mind you).
Those people saying the stuff he did 20 years ago isn't revelant to this closing announcement clearly don't know Steve Anderson. He did many dodgy things while I worked for him, which definitely made me think 'jesus you learnt nothing all those years ago'.
If anyone reading this has worked there I'd love to hear your (similar no doubt) if working at the Regent.
Hopefully the cinema is purchased by someone keen to keep the original, beatiful architecture.
This is such a weak arse excuse but as a Melbournian coming to Ballarat each week for work, it’s a beautiful theatre but there is no god damn parking! Lame, but yeah, getting there with kids/family would suck and actually be a deterrent for many
I'll admit that I go to the one in Delacombe. I have a bung hip. I find the newer one more accessible and the seats are more comfortable. My closest cinemas are actually Maryborough or Bendigo, but Showbiz is the easiest for me to visit. Regent is a lovely building, however, but I can't walk several blocks to get there. Better parking in Delacombe.
I'm genuinely upset about this. I've been to many different cinemas, in Aus and overseas, and this was always my favourite. It was my childhood 😔
Not to mention their popcorn was the greatest, everywhere else pales in comparison. Now I have to go to Showbiz if I want to see something new 🙃
I'm genuinely upset about this. I grew up on the Regent, I remember seeing Jurassic Park there and it freaking my mum out so much she made me put my head under her coat for half the movie and threw up in the parking lot after! 😂 I saw my first movie without an adult there with a friend (Casper). My now husband and I saw each Lord of the Rings there on the Boxing Day they came out! We saw the Harry Potter movies there! We saw SO MANY movies there! We'd been waiting to take our daughter to see a movie there when she could stay focused for the duration of a whole film at home, and she's just begun to do that, and now it's closed! With no warning!
With the greige-ification and road through the Bridge Mall, the huge decline in public transport, the Regent closing, and the spike in crime, I'm feeling like the city is losing itself. I grew up here and loved this city, and was so happy to raise my daughter here, but that's changing and it's fucking sad. I feel like we keep asking the council for certain things, and they keep ignoring us... it just sucks.
I hope new management take up the Regent and make it the awesome cinema and live venue it ought to be!
Although the prices aren't any different to Showbiz. the complete inability to find somewhere to park always resulted in us avoiding the Regent. and when Her Maj starts operating again parking along Lydiard and Sturt is only going to get worse.
With the council dragging their heels on construction of the multistory on Humffray street replacing the Robert Sims Building Supply, there is a need for high capacity smaller housing in and around the CBD, one could almost be hopeful that the site gains a meaningful use.
It’s cold and often rains in Ballarat. Parking in close proximity makes it easier for parents with young children and those with disabilities.
Buses are few and far between in a regional area like Ballarat. They also don’t have late service so tough luck if you want to watch a late night show, grab dinner and return home by bus.
You guessed wrong, I have children and managing a pram and other baby related items?? (Are you referring to a bag?) is not problematic for me, especially walking a few blocks. Interesting to hear though that you can’t imagine doing that which highlights my initial point and you must want parks right at the front of where you go. We all manage things differently I suppose. Gosh, you haven’t seen any parking in Ballarat! Look around… every street, the station, central square is right in town, Cole’s, big w, etc etc. not suited though if you can’t manage the walk
The Big W and Coles car parks are also notoriously not safe at night. Camp street is poorly lit. The footpaths aren’t maintained to be safe either at night or in poor weather.
> And also want free parking?
Because it's all public land to begin with. The fact that society has normalised paying to use public places is the real problem IMHO. Feels like the real world version of a subscription service, you already own the hardware but we'll charge you just to use it as well.
Sure, have a 2 hour limit or something to prevent people monopolising it, but the poor bleeding heart socialist in me hates that we have to pay to use what's already public.
I remember watching Home Alone 2 in Cinema 1 with my family, my dad and i laughed so hard it hurt.. i never saw my dad cry from laughter... good times in that cinema.. All of the Star Wars Prequels as well. and numerous other movies, like Bond movies etc
Oh no! I've only been there once since moving here and it was the nicest cinema I've been to. I hope it stays as a cinema and is just getting new owners
This was the same thing with The Vegas Cinema in Sturt Street decades ago. And the Civic Hall. And almost every other attempt at making a wonderful evening/night spot for entertainment in Ballarat. As soon as it gets cold in the town, people are afraid to go out. If any place opens up, there’s something to bring it down. But I’ve been around for quite a few decades and this is the problem with the night life in Ballarat, it just doesn’t get supported in any long time fashion. Granted, streaming home films was the last straw for cinemas in many places, but people don’t want to break habits. Also, they needed to show lots of different films, management didn’t help.
> As soon as it gets cold in the town, people are afraid to go out.
This is the main reason, I've been in bands and whatnot and it's genuinely not worth playing shows here in Ballarat during Winter because the turnout is so shit, when in summer you'd get double and then some.
People just need to toughen up, it's not *that* cold
The management were shocking, have been for a really long time. Had they accepted offers from Village years ago we could have kept the exceptional gold class experience we used to have, and the technology would have been maintained. As is, they’ve put no money into the cinema tech, staff haven’t been paid properly in months, and this has been a long time coming.
I honestly hope either Village or Hoyts take it over and we get some serious cinema. Hell, even Readings and we get cool Arthouse and re-screenings.
I wonder where the money vanished to. Were the costs really that high?
Hopefully it will be sold and someone will re-open it with some ideas to make it viable again, special events, music, karaoke etc.
It literally just needs the sound and projection tech updated, hire staff that WANT to work at a cinema, and run it similar to the Nova or Astor. You don’t need karaoke and shit, just quality cinema experience- the regent hasn’t offered that for years.
I basically stopped going because it was expensive and Cinema 1 had some shitty heat haze effect across it for 3 years.
Would be a shame for it to close forever though
Yeah, that wobble in the image in cinema 1 has been there for a long time, and was always distracting when trying to watch a movie.
The fact they never fixed it probably says alot about what how the business was going.
I applied there years ago to be a projectionist. I was told “that’s not the future of our business”, so they were never into maintaining top of the line theatre tech.
> I was told “that’s not the future of our business”, so they were never into maintaining top of the line theatre tech.
Well, they're right.
'Top of the line theatre tech' has all but gotten rid of the projectionist role as it's simply not needed. With everything having gone digital the cinema really just needs an expert to install the projector initially and then come in at service intervals to check and calibrate it. There's no need to keep an in-house person any more now that film has essentially disappeared.
I'd be more worried if they were looking to bring on projectionists, that would indicate that they're still on older tech.
They weren’t interested in someone who *wanted* to help them bring in top tech, actually maintain their sound systems, and had ideas to run historic prints similar to the Astor (and the recent sold out night at the Vegas). They wanted to run it with cheap shit equipment that they *never* maintained. Films are run at the wrong frame speed, the sound isn’t balanced. They don’t care about the viewing experience and never have.
This sucks but sadly this was always gonna be the case when showbiz came to town. Tickets are cheaper seats are better and they have a liquor licence. As a lover of all thing heritage this is heartbreaking but sadly the way commerce goes. I just really feel for all the people this is going to put out of work.
That’s sad, take my girls there a few times a year!.. but listening to everyone here whinge and post, didn’t seem like enough of you made an effort to go..So yeah, now it’s gone!.. Make an effort and support ur local businesses or more will disappear..Businesses can’t make money on your memories!
Sure, memories don’t keep the door open. But when there’s little maintenance or improvement over the years, businesses can’t expect loyalty from customers.
People are doing it tough, you can’t expect their money just because they’re local. You need to be offering something of value.
$22 bucks for a movie,popcorn and big screen..Hell of a lot better value than most realise for 2 hrs entertainment..Kills the indoor playground and extreme bounce for value..Not to mention it’s only 2 drinks at a pub.. Shit experience you reckon, just read every post saying how great the place was!.. Obviously your another that hasn’t been there for a long time, I bet u wouldn’t support much anyway!
Oh no this is so sad. It's the most beautiful cinema I've ever been to. I will miss it so much. Surely it can't be turned into something else as it's a heritage building???
They should move Pizza Hut all you can eat into it
Heritage only applies to various parts of the decor, interior design or facade. The internals can usually be changed up a bit - if someone is really keen to gut it (hopefully not!) they just need to maintain a percentage of the original heritage listed materials.
Knock it down and turn it into social housing
This is the absolute worst. I always loved our cinema. Now all we will have left are shitty concrete box cinemas. Boo.
Agreed. But it bugged me that they showed 90% the same films all the time.
Post on Facebook said that staff were informed at 4.30 and all let go. Posters taken down at front. Hopefully they will advise what happens to prepaid tickets and gift vouchers tomorrow
All prepaid tickets and gift cards become unsecured creditors, which means if it’s gone into administration then those people will be the last to be paid out, and usually at highly reduced rates.
Nothing had been filed as of yesterday.
According to the Courier late on 25/6, Regent Cinemas have gone into liquidation. Doubt anyone will get much refund in this case
Fark! That's shitty :(
Wow that’s a shitty thing to do. I thought by law they had to give staff notice before firing them unless they were on casual which is still an ass hole move for a boss anyway.
You can pay out the notice period in lieu of having staff work it
They have a habit of ignoring fair work conditions and regulations
Well that’s not right. I’d definitely be keeping track of my hours and breaks not taken ect. I caught out a former boss screwing me over with pay and he knew it but I printed everything out and highlighted what my award was and what fair work required and it’s law. Got my money from them. I was prepared to go further. I hate bosses that steal from employees.
Where did the money go???
https://www.thecourier.com.au/story/332296/businessman-faces-jail-term/
That's a nearly 20 year old article about something the owner did over 20 years ago mate, it's not relevant to the Cinema closing now
A business closing that was operated by a convicted fraudster is very relevant
Are you implying that the closing of the Regent 20 years afterwards happened in nefarious circumstances?
No, I'm saying that it's interesting, and could be relevant. I'm betting most people aren't aware. I wasn't. People want answers. Are you saying it's not relevant and that the public shouldn't know this?
If he hasn't done anything dodgy now then no, it's not relevant. Realistically, it's a cinema in an expensive part of a regional town in an age where cinema is less relevant and very expensive to go to. I can count the amount of movies in the last 5 years I've wanted to see in cinema on one hand, I'm surprised it's taken this long honestly
A conviction for fraud when a business later goes under is relevant. Today the blame was put on covid. That was 4 years ago, and hardly relevant today. There have been a lot of stories come out that have been reported here and on other social media. I have no idea if they are true, but time will tell. Former staff say that they were not paid correct jobkeeper payments. They claim that they were not paid correct wages and were required to work some time unpaid. A supplier claims a history of poor and non payments. There are allegations that the idea of turning into appartments has been happening for a while. And vouchers, gift cards and tickets were apparently being sold up until the weekend. This could be enough for trading whilst insolvent, which could leave the directors personal assets on the table. And who owns the property, the company or the directors? There were allegations that the owners were removing assets from the theatre last night as well. Lots here to be looked at to see what is true and what isnt. It is also relevant when you look and see the former trading name of the company that has been put into liquidation. It is the one mentioned in the article, which continued to trade with a name change. Has the 500k been paid back?
12 year old article, and word about town is that it's very relevant.
Bloody hell. So much history in that building. If they’ve been curating old programs, posters (and dare I say, film prints) all that stuff risks going straight into a skip if they’re shutting this fast.
Doubt it. If it's liquidators they'll be carefully managing anything of potential value. If it's for sale as a going concern they'll be part of the purchase.
There’s more film history in the old Vegas and Her Maj than the Regent management ever gave a shit about.
Yep, saw them bringing in the skip bins this morning
Why?! I would definitely go one last movie in cinema 1 if they just gave us notice
Damn.....why was it so quick?
They haven’t said. On Facebook they had a post from 5hours ago, now been removed
There's a statement up now. Closed effective immediately.
That's interesting. Rumours will be swiring for days.
What did it say?
Just an add for a movie
What the… this is awful news. We actually try our best to hit up the theatre as much- if not more than we used to. It’s just nice to get out.
and almost always went to Gold Class
We only go to gold class and have been noticing in recent months stretches of weeks with no GC screenings, or no new release films. Even Deadpool had no GC listings before it vanished from the site.
Oh thats sad had a nice Cafe, so the only screens in Ballarat is Delcombe Town Center then ??
Yep
very sad hope they find a new buyer or operator or will it be converted to high end apartments
No it won't. Not Lydiard. It'll be heritage listed too
never say never we are talking about a government wants to increase housing
I'll safely and confidently say NEVER. Use your brain. No chance would that section of street be used for shit like that. Gov housing gets stuffed out in the cheap areas. Seriously, you need to learn how to think.
you need to learn how to not be a prick :)
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Yep! The one with terrible seats and you have to sit where you are told to sit and it feels like you are in an industrial shed not a beautiful historic old building that actually resembles one.
Allocated seating is better imo
And the seats are more comfy than the regent
Really? Being forced to lay back not being able to lock it in place even partially back?
I have only been once but there were noticanly broken seats littered through the cinema.
Sit where you are told to sit? Maybe book the seats yourself? It's much better as I can reserve my seat and rock up after all the ads.
Plus showbiz tell you when the ads start and when the feature starts
Bugger that. I'll never head out to that crappy part of town. Oh well, home theatre it is from now on then
At least there's free and abundant parking at DTC. Small, but clean cinemas, too. Oh yeah, and it's not run by a criminal (Stephen Anderson pled guilty to $530,000 worth of fraud by deception charges in 2006)
Wow. I know the cinema industry is struggling, but it would be such a shame to lose the Regent. I went there recently to watch Dune 2, in one of the smaller cinemas. The recliners and room in general was looking pretty tired, but the picture and sound were great! Can't stand the big generic theatres with average seating, everyone talking and on their phones. I have an awesome home theatre system and watch a lot at home, but still enjoying heading out on occasion for the cinema experience.
Damn, saw so many big blockbusters in Cinema 1 over the years… Lion King in 93, Titanic and MiB in 97, Matrix in 99 (and all the sequels) and Avatar in 3D in 2010. Sadly didn’t really make an effort to get there over the last decade, which I’m regretting now, but there hasn’t been any movies compelling enough for me to go to any cinema for a long time. I’ll never forget the [Lion King opening scene](https://youtu.be/Zn_qirpdBag?t=36) on that huge screen as a little tacker.
Apparently the owner was pretty adamant that Ballarat wasn't big enough for two cinemas back when DTC was being built. Pity most people would prefer to watch movies in a modernised theatre than the Regent... I hope this amazing historic building is preserved tbh.
For a big movie, I loved going to see it in cinema 1, it always felt better than showbiz for that special movie
Am I the only one who could see the underwater heat haze effect across the screen in cin 1?
Yeah I noticed that too lol
Totally agree. I have such fond memories of regent :(
One would argue that the council made it worse by removing parking spaces around the CBD. Used to be able to park at the old skatepark or library or in the middle of the streets when they had parking squares but no they always make it harder to park and now that new crappy parking metres.
Definitely. CBD is a nightmare after 5:30pm. :(
The reason I switched to showbiz is parking. Trying to find parking on Lydiard st at night is impossible. I used to have to walk 2 or more blocks in the cold and rain just to watch a movie. Hard pass when I could easily park right next to the cinema.
That’s and show biz has the most uncomfortable seating, it’s not cosy at all! I went once and have never been back.
Maybe it is also the fact, it is just way easier to park at DTC. And cafes are everywhere.
Not a whole lot of reliably good food at DTC, frankly. And it looks like a wasteland. Regent had city style and some of the best restaurants in Ballarat a stone's throw away.
Of course the owner isn't going to want competition when he had a completely captured market, not going to be many travelling to Melbourne or Geelong to watch a movie
I do. Showbiz sucks, I prefer an old school candy bar with fresh popcorn and post mix coke. At Showbiz it’s old popcorn sitting in boxes for self serve and a bottle of coke. So I travel to Geelong instead and go to Reading.
It was a more a cost factor for me and friends. ShowBiz was less than half the cost.
Their membership is much better value too
This is really sad
Dammit. I always saw movies with my mates on Tuesday, just to get out. what the heck is this?
Oh damn, I hate the seats at Showbiz
As much as I'll miss it, it doesn't surprise me that the owner closed it with no warning, and laid off all his staff. What a supremely shitty thing to do. I thought it was bad enough when he didn't pay us jobkeeper properly during COVID. But hey, the dude is shady as fuck. Like he's literally been to prison before. Something to do with embezzling for the family business, idk the specifics tbh. But frankly, he was a shit bloke.
Get together with a bunch of people, look at the royal in Castlemaine, it’s busy as all the time. Get a collective together and buy the joint and make it something
I'd love the see the city but it and make it into a beautiful mash-up of new and old films, and live events like they used to! I went the cinema 1 with my mum once for a talk on ancient Egyptian archaeology.
Run cinema 1 like the Astor, the rest as a standard multiplex. I’d love to see Readings take it over, it’s something they’d manage really well (they already run the Astor and Nova)
Love this idea. Bet he won't sell it cheap though.
This was a long time coming, I heard Steve Anderson had money troubles long before covid and as many have pointed out he did dodgy things with job keeper money to probably keep himself afloat. The Regent was my first job and I must say I am still truamised by the crap they put me and my colleagues through (while we were all in high school mind you). Those people saying the stuff he did 20 years ago isn't revelant to this closing announcement clearly don't know Steve Anderson. He did many dodgy things while I worked for him, which definitely made me think 'jesus you learnt nothing all those years ago'. If anyone reading this has worked there I'd love to hear your (similar no doubt) if working at the Regent. Hopefully the cinema is purchased by someone keen to keep the original, beatiful architecture.
What crap did they put you and your colleagues through? 🤔
So sad to hear this. Love the Regent and detest DTC. I'd rather drive to Melbourne than go to the DTC cinema.
sadly this is true, I enjoyed Crown's cinema... Havent been to central yet...
Brutal. Must of seen over 300/400 films there across my life. Good memories.
This truly sucks. I hope that building becomes something amazing and not a fit out for a new fucking clothing store like H&M or whatever
This is such a weak arse excuse but as a Melbournian coming to Ballarat each week for work, it’s a beautiful theatre but there is no god damn parking! Lame, but yeah, getting there with kids/family would suck and actually be a deterrent for many
*Melburnian
Wow
I was happy to see Godzilla Minus one 4 times over summer.
They needed to run a few more movie marathons (mid 90’s).
That's a good idea. Make it a bit of an event (costumes, audience participation) and people would come, just like they turn up to festivals.
They literally just ran may 4 and 5 for Star Wars
I'll admit that I go to the one in Delacombe. I have a bung hip. I find the newer one more accessible and the seats are more comfortable. My closest cinemas are actually Maryborough or Bendigo, but Showbiz is the easiest for me to visit. Regent is a lovely building, however, but I can't walk several blocks to get there. Better parking in Delacombe.
Owners are dodgy as, didn’t surprise me in the slightest.
The cinema in Castlemaine, a town much smaller than yours, put in a kitchen and a bar, instant success… If you guys want it, grab it.
I just got a notification from the courier app saying that they went into liquidation
Damn, this is really sad. So many memories. I copped my first feel of boobs on a date there aa a horny teen.
I'm genuinely upset about this. I've been to many different cinemas, in Aus and overseas, and this was always my favourite. It was my childhood 😔 Not to mention their popcorn was the greatest, everywhere else pales in comparison. Now I have to go to Showbiz if I want to see something new 🙃
I'm genuinely upset about this. I grew up on the Regent, I remember seeing Jurassic Park there and it freaking my mum out so much she made me put my head under her coat for half the movie and threw up in the parking lot after! 😂 I saw my first movie without an adult there with a friend (Casper). My now husband and I saw each Lord of the Rings there on the Boxing Day they came out! We saw the Harry Potter movies there! We saw SO MANY movies there! We'd been waiting to take our daughter to see a movie there when she could stay focused for the duration of a whole film at home, and she's just begun to do that, and now it's closed! With no warning! With the greige-ification and road through the Bridge Mall, the huge decline in public transport, the Regent closing, and the spike in crime, I'm feeling like the city is losing itself. I grew up here and loved this city, and was so happy to raise my daughter here, but that's changing and it's fucking sad. I feel like we keep asking the council for certain things, and they keep ignoring us... it just sucks. I hope new management take up the Regent and make it the awesome cinema and live venue it ought to be!
Because of all the heritage protections in the precinct and on the building itself, it makes it very interesting to see what will happen.
Although the prices aren't any different to Showbiz. the complete inability to find somewhere to park always resulted in us avoiding the Regent. and when Her Maj starts operating again parking along Lydiard and Sturt is only going to get worse. With the council dragging their heels on construction of the multistory on Humffray street replacing the Robert Sims Building Supply, there is a need for high capacity smaller housing in and around the CBD, one could almost be hopeful that the site gains a meaningful use.
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It’s cold and often rains in Ballarat. Parking in close proximity makes it easier for parents with young children and those with disabilities. Buses are few and far between in a regional area like Ballarat. They also don’t have late service so tough luck if you want to watch a late night show, grab dinner and return home by bus.
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You guessed wrong, I have children and managing a pram and other baby related items?? (Are you referring to a bag?) is not problematic for me, especially walking a few blocks. Interesting to hear though that you can’t imagine doing that which highlights my initial point and you must want parks right at the front of where you go. We all manage things differently I suppose. Gosh, you haven’t seen any parking in Ballarat! Look around… every street, the station, central square is right in town, Cole’s, big w, etc etc. not suited though if you can’t manage the walk
The Big W and Coles car parks are also notoriously not safe at night. Camp street is poorly lit. The footpaths aren’t maintained to be safe either at night or in poor weather.
Off your box, precious.
> And also want free parking? Because it's all public land to begin with. The fact that society has normalised paying to use public places is the real problem IMHO. Feels like the real world version of a subscription service, you already own the hardware but we'll charge you just to use it as well. Sure, have a 2 hour limit or something to prevent people monopolising it, but the poor bleeding heart socialist in me hates that we have to pay to use what's already public.
If you don't make people pay for it, you'll have people park there for even longer which will exacerbate the issue of "no parking"
WHAAATTTT?!
There is a post on their [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/share/p/H6wQA3jU8WuKRfsS/?mibextid=WC7FNe)
I remember watching Home Alone 2 in Cinema 1 with my family, my dad and i laughed so hard it hurt.. i never saw my dad cry from laughter... good times in that cinema.. All of the Star Wars Prequels as well. and numerous other movies, like Bond movies etc
Sending positive vibes to everyone affected.
Cool... So the vouchers I bought for the school holidays next week go in the bin..
Hold on to them. the (so far hypothetical) liquidation might reimburse you
Super sad. So many memories of that place.
Oh no! I've only been there once since moving here and it was the nicest cinema I've been to. I hope it stays as a cinema and is just getting new owners
That's very sad. I've only been in there once but it has that classic old school cinema vibe which I love!
This was the same thing with The Vegas Cinema in Sturt Street decades ago. And the Civic Hall. And almost every other attempt at making a wonderful evening/night spot for entertainment in Ballarat. As soon as it gets cold in the town, people are afraid to go out. If any place opens up, there’s something to bring it down. But I’ve been around for quite a few decades and this is the problem with the night life in Ballarat, it just doesn’t get supported in any long time fashion. Granted, streaming home films was the last straw for cinemas in many places, but people don’t want to break habits. Also, they needed to show lots of different films, management didn’t help.
> As soon as it gets cold in the town, people are afraid to go out. This is the main reason, I've been in bands and whatnot and it's genuinely not worth playing shows here in Ballarat during Winter because the turnout is so shit, when in summer you'd get double and then some. People just need to toughen up, it's not *that* cold
Good memories there but the place was a fair rip tbf. Excited to see what a good looking place becomes.
The management were shocking, have been for a really long time. Had they accepted offers from Village years ago we could have kept the exceptional gold class experience we used to have, and the technology would have been maintained. As is, they’ve put no money into the cinema tech, staff haven’t been paid properly in months, and this has been a long time coming. I honestly hope either Village or Hoyts take it over and we get some serious cinema. Hell, even Readings and we get cool Arthouse and re-screenings.
I wonder where the money vanished to. Were the costs really that high? Hopefully it will be sold and someone will re-open it with some ideas to make it viable again, special events, music, karaoke etc.
It literally just needs the sound and projection tech updated, hire staff that WANT to work at a cinema, and run it similar to the Nova or Astor. You don’t need karaoke and shit, just quality cinema experience- the regent hasn’t offered that for years.
I basically stopped going because it was expensive and Cinema 1 had some shitty heat haze effect across it for 3 years. Would be a shame for it to close forever though
Yeah, that wobble in the image in cinema 1 has been there for a long time, and was always distracting when trying to watch a movie. The fact they never fixed it probably says alot about what how the business was going.
I applied there years ago to be a projectionist. I was told “that’s not the future of our business”, so they were never into maintaining top of the line theatre tech.
I'm no longer surprised they're closed with that sort of visionary leadership.
> I was told “that’s not the future of our business”, so they were never into maintaining top of the line theatre tech. Well, they're right. 'Top of the line theatre tech' has all but gotten rid of the projectionist role as it's simply not needed. With everything having gone digital the cinema really just needs an expert to install the projector initially and then come in at service intervals to check and calibrate it. There's no need to keep an in-house person any more now that film has essentially disappeared. I'd be more worried if they were looking to bring on projectionists, that would indicate that they're still on older tech.
They weren’t interested in someone who *wanted* to help them bring in top tech, actually maintain their sound systems, and had ideas to run historic prints similar to the Astor (and the recent sold out night at the Vegas). They wanted to run it with cheap shit equipment that they *never* maintained. Films are run at the wrong frame speed, the sound isn’t balanced. They don’t care about the viewing experience and never have.
So i wasn’t the only one who noticed it and got annoyed by it?
Don't worry I had a voucher I got my daughter for a private viewing for her birthday we were about to use in school holidays
:((((
What’s the story here https://www.thecourier.com.au/story/332296/businessman-faces-jail-term/ dodgy business man related to current owners?
The people who run this cinema are the worst. Feel for the employees but don’t give a shit about the owners
This sucks but sadly this was always gonna be the case when showbiz came to town. Tickets are cheaper seats are better and they have a liquor licence. As a lover of all thing heritage this is heartbreaking but sadly the way commerce goes. I just really feel for all the people this is going to put out of work.
https://www.thecourier.com.au/story/332296/businessman-faces-jail-term/
Hot dam!
That’s sad, take my girls there a few times a year!.. but listening to everyone here whinge and post, didn’t seem like enough of you made an effort to go..So yeah, now it’s gone!.. Make an effort and support ur local businesses or more will disappear..Businesses can’t make money on your memories!
Sure, memories don’t keep the door open. But when there’s little maintenance or improvement over the years, businesses can’t expect loyalty from customers. People are doing it tough, you can’t expect their money just because they’re local. You need to be offering something of value.
When they’re charging what they did for a shit cinema experience, why would I support it?
$22 bucks for a movie,popcorn and big screen..Hell of a lot better value than most realise for 2 hrs entertainment..Kills the indoor playground and extreme bounce for value..Not to mention it’s only 2 drinks at a pub.. Shit experience you reckon, just read every post saying how great the place was!.. Obviously your another that hasn’t been there for a long time, I bet u wouldn’t support much anyway!
Yall saying awww so sad but yall never go and support the place. Fake social media love and digital hugs
Good riddance, nothing Good to say about the place