For much of the 20th century, The Regal was one of Beverley’s most popular entertainment venues. Situated on Norwood, it was a place where people gathered to watch the latest films, dance in the ballroom, and later, play bingo or snooker. Over the years, it became more than just a cinema—it was a key part of peoples social life. But like many traditional venues, The Regal struggled to keep up with changing habits and, by the late 1990s it was lost to redevelopment.
A Building with a Story
The Regal opened its doors in 1935, a time when cinema was booming across Britain. The 1930s saw the rise of grand picture houses designed to offer more than just a film screening—they provided a full night out, complete with stylish surroundings, comfortable seating, and a sense of occasion.
Designed in the Art Deco style, The Regal reflected this golden era of cinema. A rare fact of its construction was its incorporation of part of the 18th-century Assembly Rooms, designed by the renowned Yorkshire architect John Carr. If walls could talk, The Regal’s would have told stories spanning centuries—of grand Georgian gatherings, bustling film nights, and dance halls filled with excitement.
It wasn’t just a cinema. The Regal featured a ballroom, a café, and for a short time, a rooftop garden. Anyone remember that?
A Hub for Film and Dance
Before television became widespread, a night at the cinema was a major event, and The Regal regularly attracted a full house for the latest Hollywood films. The venue was also used for live performances and variety shows.
Beyond film, the ballroom was a major draw for local people. Dance nights were a regular feature, with live bands playing everything from big band jazz to the rock ‘n’ roll hits of the 1950s and 60s. Many of us have fond memories of their first dance, a first date, or even meeting their future spouse on The Regal’s dancefloor.
The venue also attracted high-profile musical acts. In 1972, The Troggs and The Bay City Rollers performed at The Regal, drawing large crowds and proving that Beverley could hold its own in Yorkshire’s live music scene.
The Changing Face of Entertainment
By the 1960s, the golden age of cinema was coming to an end. Television was becoming more common in homes across the country, and fewer people were going to the pictures. The Regal, like many other cinemas, struggled to compete.
In 1968, it showed its last film, marking the end of its time as a cinema. However, rather than shutting down entirely, The Regal adapted. The main auditorium was converted into a bingo hall, while the ballroom was transformed into a snooker club. These changes gave the venue a new lease of life and kept it in use for another 25 years.
Bingo proved to be incredibly popular in the 1970s and 80s, drawing in a loyal crowd of regulars. The snooker hall also had its fair share of customers, with young and old alike meeting for a game in what had once been a grand ballroom. However, while these changes prolonged The Regal’s life, they couldn’t keep it going forever.
The Final Years and Demolition
By the early 1990s, interest in both bingo and snooker had declined. Larger leisure centres and cinemas in nearby Hull offered more modern alternatives, and The Regal began to feel outdated.
In 1993, it closed its doors for good, marking the end of an era for Beverley’s entertainment scene.
Despite its long history and the fact that part of the building had been given Grade II listed status, The Regal was ultimately demolished in 1998. The site was redeveloped into Regal Court, a mixed-use development of housing and retail units. Today, little remains of the original building, apart from the name that keeps its memory alive.
A Legacy That Lives On
Though The Regal is gone, it remains an important part of Beverley’s cultural history. It was more than just a cinema—it was a meeting place, a space where people came together to experience something special, whether it was a film, a dance, or a night of bingo.
For older Beverlonians, memories of The Regal are still vivid. Many can recall queuing outside for the latest blockbuster, dancing to live music in the ballroom, or feeling the excitement of a full house on bingo night. It was a place that brought people together, and its absence is still felt by those who remember its heyday.
In 2023, local DJ and writer Simon Burns published what is widely regarded as the definitive book on The Regal. Drawing from newspaper archives, personal interviews, and rare photographs, he pieced together recollections from former patrons and staff to tell the full story of Beverley’s lost entertainment hub. His work captured the excitement, nostalgia, and cultural significance of The Regal, preserving its legacy for future generations.
As Beverley continues to grow and change, The Regal stands as a reminder of a time when entertainment was a shared experience. If walls could talk, The Regal’s would tell stories of first dates, nights of music, the laughter of bingo winners, and the magic of cinema’s golden age. While today’s leisure options may be more varied, there was something special about a night at The Regal—a feeling that, for many, can never quite be replaced.
The loss of The Regal is viewed by some as a serious mistake in the Town’s development, and one might imagine the venue today becoming popular again if only it had been spared.
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