MODERN PICTURE THEATRE PLANNED FOR OHOPE BEACH

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 13, Issue 76, 11 April 1949, Page 5

MODERN PICTURE THEATRE PLANNED FOR OHOPE BEACH

Long before the war many people saw that Ohope had a big future and would some day develop into quite a large town. A proprietor of one of the leading picture theatre chains throughout the country saw the possibilities and he planned to eventually build an up-to-date theatre at Ohope. That was in 1936. Now, after 13 years later, a movement has begun to have a theatre constructed at the beach- The section has been selected opposite the camp store, on the right entering the beach from the main road. Plans drawn in 1938 for the building, implementation of which was deferred by the war, provided for a picture theatre with a flat door so that it could be used for dancing and other functions when not m use. The seats were to be made so that they could be moved to the walls when not required. Incorporated in the building were two shops and the total area of the theatre was over 3000 square feet. These plans are now being altered to make the proposed building more modern. Included will. be a supper room attached to the side of" the building. No indication can be given yet when the theatre will be built, but when the new plans are completed they are to be submitted to the building controller immediately for the necessary permit. When erected the theatre will be the most modern in the Bay of Plenty. Although no definite arrangements about screening have yet been made the manager of the Regent Theatre, Whakatane, Mr A. R. Chapman, said the Ohope theatre would probably screen almost continuously in the summer and at other times when the demand required pictures.