Regal Abingdon! Here We Go Again

Regal Abingdon
30 years ago, in 1988, The Regal in Abingdon was indulging in the ‘Walt Disney at Easter‘ tradition with Bambi. Next up was Robocop, a film that, according to the Herald, had ‘all the latest Science-Fiction film gadgetry and enough violent action to justify the suggestion it be re-named Rambocop‘.
Regal Abingdon
In 2018, after a successful run at the Unicorn Theatre, The Regal in Evesham has made an offer to Abingdon-on-Thames Town Council to take over the Abbey Hall (the new part of the Guildhall) and show films there. This offer will be recommended for acceptance by the full town council which meets on 25th April, and then comes some work to prepare the building for re-opening.

Ian Wiper of the Regal Cinema stated: “We are delighted with this recommendation and look forward to working with the Town Council.  If all goes as expected, we hope to launch in the summer of 2018 with Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again.  I would like to thank everyone who has visited us so far, our staff at the Unicorn and for the support that we have received from people in the town.

This will allow the building to be used during the development of a scheme, by local councils, to turn the Guildhall into a Community Hub.

9 thoughts on “Regal Abingdon! Here We Go Again

  1. GRJ

    Can’t wait ’till it opens :-

    “We are the boys and girls well known as
    Minors of the ABC
    And every Saturday all line up
    To see the films we like, and shout aloud with glee
    We like to laugh and have a singsong
    Such a happy crowd are we.
    We’re all pals together.
    We’re minors of the A-B-C.”

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  2. Sarah

    I had to be removed, howling, at a very tender age, from a showing of Dumbo at the Regal one Easter in the early 1970s. Such was the trauma and shame for my poor Papa that he felt unable to accompany me to the cinema until he took me to see Biggles there just before my O levels. To our joint relief, I neither howled nor had to be removed.

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  3. rudi

    a cinema will be nice – but only if done right. the days when people will put up with ropey image and sound are long gone when we have 5.1 surround and 4k screens in many homes. i can remember seing films at the regal in abingdon, you’d struggle to make out what people were saying the sound was that bad. nowadays people want dolby atmos, laser projection, imax, dbox, 4ds etc – luxury basically.
    not sure an existing non custom built building can provide that.

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  4. Cassandra

    Have you visited the Unicorn yet Rudi? I have been to film showings there and was really impressed with what this Cinema operation was able to offer.

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  5. Janet

    Cassandra. The Friends of Abingdon are not happy about the Abbey Hall being turned into a cinema after they had gone through all the trouble of turning the Unicorn into a cinema. They are asking people to sign a petition to stop this happening. I have been to the Unicorn. The only reservation I have about the Unicorn is the access for disabled people. The stairs to get into the cinema are very steep.

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  6. Cassandra

    Actually Janet my comment was just about the quality of the cinematic production. I meant it was not a second rate viewing ecperience despite the fact that it was not in a modern multiplex cinema. I made no reference to the suitability, or otherwise, of the building.
    As far as protests against the move to the Abbey Hall is concerned, in the back of the printed programme there is a letter from the Unicorn/Friends of A which supports the move. (As I remember at least).

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  7. hester

    Janet – please can you stop peddling that untrue statement: I corrected it when you posted it yesterday so was surorised to say the least that you have repeated it. (Maybe it is an April Fool?)
    For the avoidance of doubt, the Friends are delighted about the Abbey Hall – we have supported the proposal all along and still do. The petition is in favour of more cinema in Abingdon, not against it! And yes, we are fully aware that the Unicorn is not great for people with limited mobility – but ground floor entrance can be arranged and drinks etc brough to people’s seats – so it is great that the Abbey Hall will provide a more inclusive venue. And finally, it is not either or – the proposal is to run both. 90 seats – or even 200+ – is not enough for the population of Abingdon!

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  8. Peter Del

    Janet, Hester, I agree about disabled access, I also hope they make provisions for disabled parking. The disabled parking outside the cinema in Didcot has been replace by a bench!

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  9. Janet

    I apologise if I got the wrong improssion when I was asked to sign the petition at the Unicorn. If the Friends are happy with the proposals for the Abbey Hall then everyone would be in favour.

    Reply

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