The Regent Cinema is a beachfront landmark building that has been providing entertainment in Redcar, North Yorkshire, for more than 100 years. Following its closure in 2018, Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council developed a plan to completely reimagine the single screen cinema to provide a brand-new leisure facility with the help of TVCA funding.

The scheme includes three screens - offering 95, 54, and 35 spaces respectively – and a cafe with spectacular views of the North Sea as well as associated facilities. The two-storey building will feature a glass walled foyer, to make the most of the views, as well as glazed terracotta tiles and feature entrance canopy.

The plan also includes the construction of a new sea defence structure from the beach to promenade level.

“The Regent Cinema has been continually reinvented throughout its lifetime and this new incarnation will give it a new lease of life and be of great value to the local community. The building is situated on a prominent seafront location, so we wanted the design to reflect that as well as respond to the monolithic stone, brick, and concrete of the town - but with a contemporary style. The design therefore draws inspiration from the rich history of the site and the art deco style of the existing building – which is due to be demolished following safety issues,” said Suzanne Blair, associate director at GT3.

Along with retaining the style and community focus of the building, another key driver for the new Regent Cinema was sustainability. The design will be developed in line with the Redcar and Cleveland Sustainability Charter.

As a result, the fabric of the building is designed to retain heat and aims for a 25 per cent thermal performance improvement above the levels required by Building Regulations. Solar control glazing has been specified for the foyer curtain walling in order to reduce overheating in sunny conditions and minimise the need for active cooling systems.