A local consortium has rallied to roll the cameras at Newcastle’s Tower Cinemas once more.
Iconic Cinemas Proprietary Limited has lodged an expression of interest with Event Hospitality and Entertainment Limited to reopen the iconic King Street cinema, which was suddenly closed on 5 December 2018.
Informed by several people with many decades of experience in cinema operation, the consortium hopes to turn the lights back on by November 2019, restoring the cinema to its former glory as the only one in the CBD and a much-loved picture house.
It will establish a community-based advisory committee to help with programming and content, and, subject to negotiation, progressively upgrade the facilities on offer in the coming years.
Local businessman and director of Iconic Cinemas, Steven Pritchard, said that, should the consortium be successful in its negotiations, it planned to operate the site as an independent cinema.
“The city needs a place where the community can view a wide range of art house, classic and mainstream films,” Mr Pritchard said.
“There are so many films that our community cannot view because we lack capacity, particularly in Newcastle’s changing and growing CBD.
“We also look forward to complementing the cinema offering in the region and working across all levels of stakeholders and interested groups to deliver the best possible outcome for the site and the community.
“The Tower Cinemas will again shine brightly and the ‘gift for Newcastle’ will again provide quality entertainment.”
Originally built by The Greater Union Organisation – a subsidiary of Amalgamated Holdings Limited, now known as Event Hospitality and Entertainment Limited – to replace the Strand Theatre, Tower Cinemas was officially opened on 29 April 1976.
Then chairman of Amalgamated Holdings Limited, Sir Norman Rydge, said the cinema was “a new gift for Newcastle, The Tower Cinemas… For you, from Greater Union.”
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