Pahīatua’s Regent is getting a facelift

Scaffolding is up for the Pahīatua Regent to get a much-needed facelift.

For those wondering what’s been going on at the Pahīatua Regent and Repertory Theatre, the building is getting a facelift.

Spokesman Peter Lea, who is a life member of the Repertory Society says he’s hoping the work will be completed in time for the Polish celebrations, although the work is very much weather-dependent.

The building will be repainted and tidied up, with LED lights going up and Art Deco features and spotlights up the top.

“The colour scheme will look quite amazing,” Peter says.

Combined with the mural, it’s sure to be a show-stopper and he finds it “amazing” how many people he sees stop and take photos of the mural.

He says the work is “absolutely” needed.

“It will look incredible when it’s finished.”

Much of the funds for the work have come from a grant from Central Energy Trust.

Peter says when Derrick Sims was the manager, he got the ball rolling by applying for money for the big mural and applied for money for the new Regent sign.

The committee had also applied to the Waireka Trust with some money also put in from the Repertory Society and from the cinema.

The theatre was first done up about 25 years ago.

It was opened in 1940 and owned by Kerridge Odeon, which had a number of similar cinemas across the country.

The Regent was a 600-seat cinema and when it opened it was with “a bit of panache”.

Even then the cinema had air-conditioning, which was “something”, Peter says.

He says before they took over the theatre, it was going to be a furniture warehouse.

But his brother David did a deal with Robert Kerridge in Auckland and Bruce began managing the place.

“We’ve all been involved in repertory,” Peter says. “It’s been part of our life for years.”

He believes the theatre, both repertory and the cinema, are an important part of the Pahīatua community.

“It’s a vital part of the community. When you’ve got live theatre and the cinema, we didn’t want to see it fall over and become a furniture warehouse or something.”

The cinema, which reopened last year, is starting to pick up again and local businesses have been responding to requests for screen sponsorship.

“All those little things add up,” Peter says.

He has done his best to ensure those doing the work on the theatre are local, but there are certain jobs that meant it hasn’t always been possible to get someone from Pahīatua, or even from the Tararua District.

He’s grateful to those who have helped the theatre over the years and who have been so positive toward the project and makes special mention of Managh Electrical, one of their sponsors.

The theatre is run by volunteers and takes a lot of dedicated volunteers giving up their time.

“But if the people want it, and they seem to want it, then it’s important,” Peter says.

“I see it as really important for the Tararua District.”

The next project will be doing up the ceiling.

While there is some earthquake strengthening needed to be done, Peter says that may be something the next generation will have to deal with.