A Regal Restoration

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Regal Revolution - Screen Trade Magazine

The Regal featured in this months issue of Screen Trade.

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Regal Trust Report May 2014

Last Friday we launched the brochure for the Summer Season.  The programme of events is increasingly diverse, with Hypnotism, Drama; both broadcast & live, live & broadcast Classical Music, Music from the 40s, 60s & 70s, Blues, Opera, Comedy, a poignant commemoration of D-Day and an evening of nostalgia and memories specially commissioned by the Regal, a film festival, and films of all genres including a feature film shot on location in Herefordshire & Monmouthshire, where we will be joined by the Director after the screening.

Luckily the only complaint has been that we were programming so much great content some people feel compelled to visit us several times some weeks.

One lady said that she has seen more great entertainment and has been able to participate in more cultural events, in the last two years than she has been able to in the last 70 years, and all this in rural Worcestershire. She previously lived near London!

Last night we staged Morecambe, this is the first time the Regal has been included as a venue on a major national tour.  The trust invested in additional stage equipment to make this show possible. The show was simply brilliant.

Tonight is also a significant night in the history of the Regal, with the first digitally downloaded film being screened.  Whilst we have had the equipment to accept films this way for a number of months, this is the first film to arrive by the method.

This coming weekend we host a volunteers fair where the people of Tenbury & the surrounding area will be encouraged to volunteer for 20+ local organisations. We are also encouraging school leavers to come and join us in running the Regal during the school holidays.

This month we also welcome back the reenactors from Severn Valley Railway, who will be arriving in their historic coach to see a classic film from the 1940’s.  We also welcome the staff, pupils and parents from Tenbury High School as they celebrate their achievements.

Fusion Dance & Cheer will be staging their showcase at the Regal, and we are delighted that their principal and head cheer coach has agreed to be the Choreographer for our pantomime, and will also be holding dance & cheer training at the Regal after the summer holidays.

The Regal is now often operational 7 days a week, with a mixture of advertised and private events, sometimes with more than one show or event each day.

Regal Trust Report March 2014

This year’s Oscar season was not as strong as last years, so we saw a year on year reduction in the number of tickets sold in March, but sales were bolstered by our participation in the Borderlines Film Festival.

The Mayor’s Show was a notable success and featured some unusual but very successful and well received acts.  The March programme also included a sell out performance by Roy Chubby Brown, which introduced a new audience to the Regal.

We received our first tourist coach party with a large group from Ledbury WEA.

The group enjoyed a cream tea, a tour and visit to the museum, a talk on Art Deco and it’s influence on Hollywood and one about the Regal, followed by a screening of the Art Deco styled film, Top Hat.  

The work by the building contractors to remedy the plaster problems has now been completed as has the work repairing the doors and lobby floor in the community centre.  The repairs to the front doors are still outstanding.  

The Regal Trust has now employed an Assistant Manager, through the apprentice scheme in conjunction with Hereford College.  Whilst the Regal remains a predominantly volunteer run organisation, it now employs 4 local people part-time in key area’s of the operation.

Looking forward; we are in the process of planning a Pro-Am Pantomime for the Christmas Season.  We have selected Aladdin, with a script by the leading Pantomime Script writer, Ben Crocker.

Open auditions will be held in town in the next few months.  Hopefully the majority of the main characters and ensemble will be found locally, but we have the option to hire professional players to fill any gaps.  

Ben will also be involved in the auditions and will hold a Panto Master Class for those selected.  The main rehearsals will be handled by a local director, with Ben returning a few weeks before the performance to add the final polish.

The set and costumes will be professionally produced, and the final product will be a high quality and enjoyable pantomime for the whole family.

Trustees Report for the year ending 31st July 2013.

REGAL TENBURY TRUST LIMITED

A Charitable Trust Company No 7954848

Charity No 1148555

We are pleased to present our first Trustees Report for the year ending 31st July 2013.

In December 2010 Tenbury Town Council (TTC) received a Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) grant for The Regal Cinema to repair and conserve the building and run a two year programme of community activities. The REGAL TENBURY TRUST LIMITED came into existence in September 2012 to manage the Regal Complex.

The formation of and transfer of operations to the Regal Tenbury Trust by Tenbury Town Council -  who remain owners of the building -  is recognized by HLF as key to bring an independent  business-like approach and potentially benefit from grant aid in support of future development.  Work has begun on long-term sustainability, maintaining the volunteer body, recruiting new members and maintaining effective training for them.  The value of our volunteers is recognized here and elsewhere in this report.                                                               

The Trust provided an area within the Regal for the Heritage Learning Project as an office and museum.  The space continues as a display area and where practicable access is maintained for the public.

The Trust has supported CineMonkeys and MiniCineMonkeys; children’s activities that are part of the Heritage Learning Project. These have introduced very young and young children to the cinema along with their parents and grandparents.

The Trust has the following objectives

(1) TO ADVANCE EDUCATION, UNDERSTANDING AND APPRECIATION OF THE ARTS, INCLUDING AUDIO VISUAL ARTS PRIMARILY BUT NOT EXCLUSIVELY, FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC OF WORCESTERSHIRE, HEREFORDSHIRE AND SHROPSHIRE.

(2) TO FURTHER OR BENEFIT THE RESIDENTS OF TENBURY WELLS AND THE NEIGHBOURHOOD, WITHOUT DISTINCTION OF SEX, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, RACE OR OF POLITICAL, RELIGIOUS OR OTHER OPINIONS BY ASSOCIATING TOGETHER THE SAID RESIDENTS AND THE LOCAL AUTHORITIES, VOLUNTARY AND OTHER ORGANISATIONS IN A COMMON EFFORT TO ADVANCE EDUCATION AND TO PROVIDE FACILITIES IN THE INTERESTS OF SOCIAL WELFARE FOR RECREATION LEISURE TIME OCCUPATION WITH THE OBJECTIVE OF IMPROVING THE CONDITIONS OF LIFE FOR THE RESIDENTS.

(3) IN FURTHERANCE OF THESE OBJECTS BUT NOT OTHERWISE, THE TRUSTEES SHALL HAVE POWER TO ESTABLISH OR SECURE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A COMMUNITY CENTRE AND TO MAINTAIN OR MANAGE OR CO-OPERATE WITH ANY STATUTORY AUTHORITY IN THE MAINTENANCE AND MANAGEMENT OF SUCH A CENTRE FOR ACTIVITIES PROMOTED BY THE CHARITY IN FURTHERANCE OF THE ABOVE OBJECTS.

Summary of Years activities

Main Auditorium

The Regal had 202 film screenings (excluding private hires) 38 live stage performances and 11 live to screen events.

The Regal hosted the Tenbury Film Festival as an outreach location of the Worcestershire Film Festival celebrating film and filmmakers. The Trust has worked with other local groups including

·         Tenbury Town Band

·         Teme Valley Band

·         Little Hereford Voices

·         Tenbury Floral Arts Club

·         Tenbury WI

·         Mandy Davis Cancer Support

·         Age Concern

·         Tenbury Primary School

·         Tenbury High School

·         Burford Primary School

·         Chantry School, Martley

·         Lindridge Primary School

·         Mistletoe Foundation

·         Tenbury Round Table

·         Worcestershire Jazz Orchestra

·         British Legion

In its first year the Trust has invested heavily in infrastructure.

·         Equipping the stage for live shows

·         Contributing funds for the digital cinema projector.

·         Installing satellite receiving equipment

·         Fitting foyer for café and bar use.

·         Purchasing furniture and crockery for the community function room

·         Addressing problems with the electrical supply system.

·         Purchasing an intruder alarm

·         Up-grading the fire alarm

·         Extending 3 phase power in the building.

·         Purchasing a computerised box-office system.

·         Installing data networks and telephone systems.

·         Providing a PA system to support all but the largest of shows

The Trust has initiated further works to improve the building in terms of its day to day functions, essential to operate efficiently, continuing to review what further investments are needed in terms of specialist equipment to improve service delivery e.g. a new lighting board.

The Community Function Room - the Regal

This year has seen a review and development of the function room as a resource for the community and addressing the question of how to make this building more in harmony with the main theatre.

We engaged representatives of the local community to explore this further with focused meetings, and an 'open day’ to coincide with Tenbury's Apple-fest.

We intend to set the direction of the function room as a 'studio' with activities more closely themed with cinema and theatre.

 The actions we have taken have been:

§  To make immediate improvements to the room by tidying it up and creating a more arts atmosphere with pictures and a small stage.

§  To encourage its use for events - meetings and small private parties which link the private showing of a film with a celebration

Future Plans

We aim to continue to encourage the use of the room

Make grant applications to raise funding to continue the improvements such as more mobile staging, lights and sound system

Fund raising events such as bingo

Small events and shows with a more intimate atmosphere than the main auditorium offers.

Issues

The building is not particularly attractive with poor natural lighting and heating so our longer term ambition would be for a more purpose built studio.

In the meantime we are trying to maintain a balance between the two venues so that one complements rather than competes with the other.

General

It is generally accepted by community users and business groups that in its first year the Trust has brought benefits to Tenbury Wells and its neighbourhood but remains mindful there is more to do. It intends to improve support for its bedrock of volunteers and widen its community appeal. It has made changes to its initial management structure and looks to further improve this.  

Regal Trust Report February 2014

The upward trend in sales continued throughout February with a 35% increase in audience numbers over the same period last year.  We had particular success with Mandela : Long Walk to Freedom, Disney’s Frozen and our first screening from the NT Live, War Horse.  Abbamania also played to a capacity house.  Our own fundraising Variety Show also contributed over £2,500 to our contingency fund.

This coming weekend, we start our run of films shown as part of the Borderlines Film festival.  The festival was covered by the BBC in their Midlands Today program last Friday, and the Regal featured quite heavily.

In March we receive our first tourist coach party with a large group from Ledbury WEA. The group will be enjoying a cream tea, followed by a tour and visit to the museum, a short talk on Art Deco in general and the Regal in particular and they will also be watching a film.  

The Trust has now purchased a replacement lighting desk, more suitable to our operation.  The money for this was kindly donated by Ken Pollock from the WCC Divisional Fund and by the Blakewell (Spar) Foundation.  The Trust has also received a grant from the Kingspan Community Trust to support the MiniCineMonkeys programme with additional active play equipment and funding towards staffing costs for the next two years.

The work by the building contractors to remedy the plaster problems still remains ongoing.  The work on repairing the doors and lobby floor in the community centre started today.  The repairs to the front doors are still outstanding.  

Vandals have caused some damage to one of our display cabinets nearest the bus stop.  There may be some delay in repairing this as the local company who produced the cabinets have several months backlog of work.

Regal Trust Report January 2014

Overall ticket sales remained buoyant throughout most of January, helped by our season of Shakespeare from the Globe Theatre and Gisselle from the ROH.  Notable film successes were the sequels of Hunger Games & The Hobbit and Disney’s Saving Mr Banks.  Other films this month didn’t do too well, including one night with no audience at all.

Great strides have been made this month by our Tech Team volunteers which has seen all the stage lighting, cleaned, serviced & safety checked, and the on stage working lights replaced.

We have replaced our specialised router following the water damage from a leaking pipe in the loft and our satellite dish has been repaired following storm damage.  We have also improved the display cupboards at the front of the Regal.

The work by the building contractors to remedy the plaster problems remains ongoing.

A new gas line has been run to the kitchen and a new range and gas safety equipment has been installed.  The kitchen is now fully gas safe compliant.  

Looking forward, War Horse from the NT & Roy Chubby Brown have already sold out, and we only have a few tickets left for Abbamania.   We have a very strong spring programme of events and our new brochure will be printed at the end of the month.

Hopefully the film sales will improve as the Oscar nominated film start appearing.  We are already seeing strong sales for Mandela.

With increased activity comes an additional workload, and we really need a few additional House Managers.  If you know of anyone who could fit this role, please let either Ian Little or the Trustees know.