Regent Cinema, Deal

Ownership lay with Dover District Council until 2011 when it was sold to James Wallace and Mark Digweed.[2][1] The sale price was £385,000; a below market value on the understanding that it would be restored and reopened as a cinema.[3] The town had no other cinema.[6]

Wallace and Digweed presented plans for redevelopment in 2014. These included a residential element that proved unpopular with local residents and were never presented for planning permission.[3]

For a period no further plans were presented, though the owners met with the council for pre-planning talks in early 2016, and a local campaign group, Reopen the Regent, was formed to promote the building's restoration.[7] In May 2016 actor Neil Stuke, a member of the group, apologised for implied threats made in an email to Wallace and Digweed. Stuke said "I allowed my frustrations to get the better of me as saving The Regent is something I believe very passionately about". The owners reported the email to the police who investigated and found no offence had been committed.[8] Actor Mark Rylance was another supporter of the campaign group.[4] The group have successfully had the Regent designated an asset of community value.[1]

In 2018 the council issued a notice under section 215 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, ordering the owners to make essential repairs by August, but these were not carried out. On 25 October 2018 Reopen the Regent held a protest at the site with DIY-related props to raise awareness of the need for repairs.[7]

In January 2019 Wallace and Digweed submitted a second set of plans for planning approval, without any residential element. These were prepared by David Wright, architect of the Brighton Dome refurbishment. Wright's plans showed much of the original structure to be retained, though the south wall, whose steelwork was corroded, was to be replaced with glass. Two 104-seat cinema screens would have been built as well as a 120-seat restaurant which could be used as a third screen on a temporary basis. The dome above the entrance was to be recovered in a bottle green material, restoring its original colour. A mezzanine floor with skylight above was to be created, with 30 seats, available for private hire. A small extension to the south side would form a new entrance with a landscaped square adjacent to the Timeball Tower. The existing ground floor windows would be expanded to make the most of the sea views.[3] The new development was estimated to create 15–20 new jobs, with the construction work to take place over twelve months.[6][3]

The council granted approval to the plans on 18 July 2019, with a three year period to commence works.[2][1] However works did not proceed, with the owners blaming the COVID-19 pandemic.[9] With works delayed, Reopen the Regent held another rally on 30 October 2021 to encourage the owners to "raise the Regent from the dead".[10] This was Halloween themed and attended by around 200 people who howled at the moon during the 30-minute event.[10] A further rally was held on 2 May 2022, also attended by around 200 people, declaring a mayday over the failure to proceed with the redevelopment.[11]

On 7 June 2022, just before 5pm, the Regent suffered from a fire. It was quickly brought under control by Kent Fire and Rescue Service. Kent Police investigated the fire as a potential arson attack.[6] The structure is in a damaged state; the roof has been leaking since at least 2020, pigeons have nested within and it has been broken into for use by drug addicts.[6] In July 2022, Reopen the Regent asked for Dover council to instruct repairs to the owners or carry out a compulsory purchase of the property.[2] The council says the building owners are working on alternative plans for the site, but that these still include use as a cinema.[1]