300
2017
This building is occupied by the Christian Life Centre church. According to the CLC website the church was founded by Pastor Grady Reid in 1996 [1].
2008-20??
The building operated for a few years as a concert venue after being acquired by Oxford-based firm Solarview and undergoing refurbishment [2].
2005
The 1937 building was granted Grade II listed status [2].
1970-2004
The Regal Cinema was converted into a bingo hall in 1970. In 2004, Gala Bingo vacated the building [2]. You can see a photo of the interior during this time at the site Play Bingo [3].
1937
The building opened on April 19, 1937 as The Regal cinema. It was designed by Robert Cromie, a noted architect of cinemas in England during the inter-war years [4].
82-year old Graham Wintle, still resident in Oxford in 2008, was projectionist at the Regal in its early days. He recalls that "although colour films had already arrived before the Second World War, the hues were garish" [4].
Pre-1930s
It seems likely that the Regal is the first building ever to be built on this site. This plot, along with much of the land east of the Regal (now covered by 1930s semis), was originally made up of vegetable patches and cricket fields before it was built on for the first time in the early 20th Century.
Before then?
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References
- ↑ http://www.clcoxford.co.uk/who-we-are/ website
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Oxford Mail 22 August 2006: http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/888000.excinema_to_be_venue_for_arts/
- ↑ http://playingbingo.co.uk/land-bingo/lost-halls/o/oxford-gala-regal-cowley-road/index.php
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Oxford Times, 11 July 2008: http://www.oxfordtimes.co.uk/lifestyle/arts/2391546.The_old_lady_of_Cowley_Road/