Art deco theatre in spotlight after makeover

The 1930s art deco Focal Point Cinema building at 126 Heretaunga St, Hastings.

"All of the hard work and financial investment has been done in relation to this property leaving the finished product ready for the new owner to reap the rewards," says Rollo Vavasour, commercial and industrial salesperson for Bayleys Hawke's Bay, who is marketing the freehold property for sale by private treaty closing on Thursday May 21.

"The new owner will inherit the result of lengthy and far-reaching renovations that have transformed this 1583 square metre building into what is now considered the Hawke's Bay's premium entertainment venue," Vavasour says..

The original building is estimated to have been constructed in 1934.

In 1994 it underwent substantial refurbishments, including the extension of the second floor to the front portion of the building.

The cinema opened in May last year following another major makeover that included earthquake strengthening, the addition of new tiered seating, an upgrade of the building façade, new floor coverings, acoustic wall linings, and the reconfiguration of the ground floor foyer, cafe and kitchen.

The most recent work included decking out the interior in plush 1920s' decor which is typical of the Hawke's Bay art deco scene.

Rollo Vavasour of Bayleys Hawkes bay

"People from all over the Hawke's Bay now come to sit down in the comfort in this boutique cinema with popcorn and choc-top icecreams in hand to watch the latest movies," says Vavasour.

At an annual rent of $210,000, the cinema operators are almost three years into a 10 year lease with the future option to exercise three rights of renewal of five years each following the expiry of the current lease term.

"The tenants also successfully operate two other award-winning cinemas in the Manawatu towns of Feilding and Levin," Vavasour says.

"Customer reviews on the popular global tourist and hospitality website TripAdvisor are exceedingly positive and are a testament to the excellent services offered by the cinema owners.

"Focal Point Cinema received a TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence in 2014 - an impressive achievement for its first year of operation."

The cinema features 85 movie sessions per week of main stream, art house and international films.

Under the Hastings District Council Proposed District Plan Operative the building is zoned Central Commercial and lies in the central character precinct. Its current use as a cinema is permitted within this zone.