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Finally, In 1932, the church was forced to comply with various alterations to the platform, and the Installation of
a fire-proof curtain, enabling the Health Department to take no further objection to the use of the hall for small
theatrical entertainment. Again, the hall continued as a very popular venue, promoting amongst its advantages
800 upholstered Up-up seats, and as being the hall of "comfort, charm and character" .

On Friday 30th October 1942, under lease to Oxford Theatres, a new company formed by Mr. Les Leticq, owner
and exhibitor or the Embassy Malvern (later Metro Malvern) the hall was re-named the New Central Theatre,
and opened with the film "Professor Mamlock" -the first, full-length, Russian made drama to arrive in Australia.
The film starred Mezhinski, who was advertised as Russia's greatest dramatic star!
The film proved moderately successful, and heralded the beginning of a new life for the former church hall. Mr.
Letlcq signed an agreement with British Empire Films (the Greater Union Distributing Company) to program his
new cinema, but apart from the premiere of "Professor Mamlock" all they would supply was second run or
revival product such as George Formby etc .. which did not do very well.

Frustrated by, and contrary to his film contract with B.E.F., Les Leticq booked the Warner Bros. film "They Died
With Their Boots On", starring Errol Flynn. which had just ended a season at Hoyts Regent. B.E.F. Immediately
brought legal action, and it was after this, in 1943. that the control of the New Central passed to Peter Dawson
and Frank Selleck who operated the Savoy Theatre in Russell Street. A new raked floor of Jarrah was installed
above the original floor, and seating capacity reduced to 641 seats. Harry Huggins (ex Hoyts) was appointed
manager and was the longest salVing manager at the theatre.
Also In this year, new laws regarding toilet blocks leading off auditoriums came Into force. One of the major
reasons for this change, according to Department of Health correspondence, was a reluctance by members of
an audience to advertise their intentions. Resulting from this law, the conveniences on either side of the stage
were removed, and a new male toilet block constructed in the shop adjacent to the left of the ground foyer.
Female facilities were available in the mezzanine foyer. as per the original plans. It is interesting to note that In
the original plans for the building, a male toilet block had been designed for the basement area. However, the
Board Of Works had objected to placement of conveniences In this area.
In 1945- Friday 26 October- Greater Union took over the lease. "I Uve In Grosvenor Square•, starring Rex
Harrison and Anna Neagle, commenced a hugely successful season. In honor of the occasion, the theatre was
re-named "The Grosvenor". A new policy of screening only English films was to continue for many years. Many
of the now-famous Ealing comedies premiered at the Grosvenor, (with the exception of Whisky Galore, the title
of which the Church disapproved) as well as many other distinguished British films.

Previously HoytsAthenaeum had been an all-British house. Most English films until this tlme had been released
by Gaumont British Dominion Films which was aligned to Fox. With the arrival of J. Arthur Rank on the scene,
B.E.F. (later Greater Union Film Distributors) gained distribution of all Rank films, enabling them to supply the
Grosvenor and Odeon with British product. With G.U.O. gaining the majority of English titles, Hoyts had very
little British film. The Athenaeum finally succumbed to screening American product, much to the dismay of their
very loyal British patrons. 1949 saw renovations to the bio-box. The existing projection room was sub-divided,
providing a door tor access to a new lamp storage room, and a new dimmer panel installed in the wall.

The Grosvenor continued to trade well with quality British product, and in 1955 the architects Cowper Murphy
and Associates drew up extensive plans for renovations to the foyer areas. New toilet blocks (male and female)
were constructed In the mezzanine. An emergency exit from the bio-box through the managers office, a new
emergency stair-well installed from the mezzanine down to the right of the foyer, and a sweets kiosk created In
the shop adjoining the entrance foyer. A new awning Incorporating neon tubing was also constructed. New
carpeting and seating capacity reduced to 639 completed the work. Despite the extensive work undertaken at
the time the theatre continued to screen. canceling only morning sessions.

Mechanical ventilation was via a single plenum fan, and an oil-fired burner supplied heating. An auxiliary power
plant was also installed at the rear of the building, however, In 1966 the plant had been removed and the space
it occupied was used for parking a car. One of the unusual arrangements with the church involved the cleaning
of the theatre. Most city theatres employed their own cleaners, but under the terms of the lease the theatre
cleaning was done by church cleaners. As they were not present to clean up between the Intermediate and
evening sessions, the floor staff were responsible for the "pick-up•.

During the mid sixties, Greater Union embarked on an extension of their circuits and up-grading of theatres. In
spite or its cosy and Intimate atmosphere, the Grosvenor no longer seemed to fit the G.U. image. Slowly the

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