CAARP
Cinema and Audience Research Project

Between 1960 and 1967 the Regent was used as a live theatre venue.

In 1961, the theatre closed for three weeks so that six shops could be built along one side of the stalls, with the shops facing out onto a laneway at the side of the theatre. 298 stalls seats were lost, leaving the theatre with 1,964 seats.

Plans were undertaken in 1967 to make two cinemas that would cater for smaller audiences and create an arcade in the stalls area to accommodate 38 shops at ground level. The Paris Theatre behind the Regent Theatre was also demolished and rebuilt. The theatre re-opened on 30th May 1968 with "In the Heat of the Night".

It closed on 28th January 2004. The building was further gutted internally to become part of the shopping centre.

Film Weekly records the following changes in seating capacity:
1946/7 = 2262
1963/4 =1995
1964/5 = 1985
1968/9 = 894

References
Adey, J 2005, 'So long, farewell, auf wiedersehen, adieu', Kino Cinema Quarterly, no. 92, p. 20.
Cinema Treasures: http://cinematreasures.org/theater/1587/
Film Weekly. Film Weekly Motion Picture Directory, Sydney. 1946/7-1971 (was not listed in 1966/7 edition)
Thiele, J & Flint, C 1998, 'A grand old lady no more!', Kino Cinema Quarterly, no. 64, p. 17.