Regent Cinema

The Regent Cinema stands on Beach Street in Deal, Kent, beside the English Channel. Built in 1928 as an iron-and-glass pavilion for military-band concerts, it soon proved too costly for its purpose. In 1933 it reopened as Deal’s largest cinema, seating 911, with an Art Deco entrance designed by Margate architect Percy Levett. The building’s exposed position made it draughty, and during the Second World War its roof carried an anti-aircraft searchlight. After the war the cinema switched to X-rated films before closing in 1963. The cinema’s history reflects Deal’s changing tastes and fortunes. In 1936 an Odeon opened and drew crowds away, yet the Regent remained a landmark. After decades as a bingo hall it closed in 2009, and the site stood empty. Local campaigners formed Reopen the Regent and won community-value status for the building. Actors Neil Stuke and Mark Rylance supported the effort, and in 2019 revised plans for a two-screen cinema, café and restaurant gained approval. Today the Regent is a roofless shell with corroded steelwork and broken windows. Pigeons nest inside and the floor has been used by drug users. Despite leaks since 2020 and a recent arson attack, the owners still aim to restore it as Deal’s cinema. The Timeball Tower overlooks the site, and the seafront setting offers long views along the Channel.