WHY CONSERVE HISTORIC PICTURE PALACES?
Communities have a sense of place which makes them unique and distinctive. A combination of the landscape and building stock generally produce this sense of place. Buildings of landmark quality such as post offices, churches, schools and picture palaces are often vital components which attract tourism and promote community pride. Multiplex cinema developments in recent years tend to be anonymously hidden within shopping malls which are sited away from main streets and often lead to the decline of a town’s main street and its small businesses. Many of the picture palaces also provide an important live theatre venue for major shows touring Australia or local school use. Importantly they provide a vastly different experience to the smaller multiplex theatre(tte). While giant screens and the latest digital sound are an attraction these can be accommodated in the historic theatres. Village Theatres Albury Regent is a fine example of an historic auditorium upgraded to the latest technology.
