Page 21 - CinemaRecord #11R.pdf

47a. Hoyts Windsor Theatre by Brian Hunt and Trevor Walters

On Sunday, 28th December, 1997 we visited the "Windsor'' Theatre as we had noticed some major works being
undertaken on the building. The Theatre has not shown films for many years and in fact became the Victorian
headquarters for Hoyts around 1969 following the sale of the Melbourne "Regent". In recent years it has been
operating as a Homeshow video store.
' '\
Homeshow Entertainment Centre were operating in the stalls and ground floor foyer area and little had changed
since this Theatre was built in 1936. An article has previously been written on the Windsor which also showed
photographs taken in 1938 and 1994. [See CinemaRecord 12- "Hoyts Windsor Theatre" by Rod How]

The video store is
temporarily
operating only in the
foyer area while
alterations take
place . The raked
floor of the stalls has
been removed and
is now just a dirt
area, but will
eventually have a
new concrete floor
to house the video
store.

The upstairs area is
being converted into
a night club and
restaurant and is
planned to open in
early 1998. The
good thing is that
Front Area Near The Stage
most of the
architecture will
remain. A new flat
floor has been
installed upstairs in
the front area near
the stage (which
would be for the
dance floor) with
tiered levels
remaining in the old
lounge/dress circle
area for seating.

Whilst inspecting
the theatre we took
many photographs
and were lucky
enough to find some
old cinema tickets of
the Regent, Capitol,
Athenaeum, Paris,
St. Kilda, Bent-leigh,
and drive-ins. Tiered Levels For Seating.

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