Timing outlined for $1.9 million project to revitalise Albury's historic Regent cinema and ticket box

Albury Council this week unanimously approved work plans to revamp the building which first opened to movie-goers in 1927.

The project is centred around heritage facets of the building with a former ticket office on the ground floor to be used again and the twin-level auditorium to have its seating altered.

Double couch seats will be put at the ground level to cater to 100 patrons and new seats will be fitted in the upper gallery which will see its capacity go from 500 to 306.

"The general public will be well served by a much improved experience at a landmark heritage cinema that improves the movie going experience to meet world standards," the architectural firm behind the project told council in a report.

Regent owner Tony Smith said the seats would be made in Australia but the importation of fabric would influence the timing of the work.

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"I hope we would have the project coming on somewhere around May-June and the auditorium would be closed for up to two months," Mr Smith said.

The cinema complex, which was closed for five months last year because of the coronavirus, will remain open while work proceeds.

Mayor Kevin Mack lauded the investment by Mr Smith, whose family has owned the Dean Street movie hub since 1937.

He estimated that a tally of $6 million had been spent on improvements to the landmark building in recent times.

"If a third-generation family businessman is investing that sort of money into Albury it's a very good sign for our post (COVID) recovery," Cr Mack said.

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