Opening night programme
This is a programme from the opening night of the Regent Cinema. On Wednesday 27th July 1921, its first showing was the film A Yankee at the Court of King Arthur. There was also a performance by a popular baritone and orchestra, together with a recital on the orchestral organ.
Posh seats for 84p
Apart from being such a wonderful reminder of a time long gone when cinemas like The Regent were a real experience to visit, a lot of social history can be gleaned from this programme. For instance, two seats in the front balcony – the posh seats – cost seven shillings. Now here is the interesting bit – that is 84p in today’s money. And what about £1.32 for a Table D’Hote Dinner – for two!
Your Regent memories
We would be interested to hear your memories of visiting The Regent. What films did you see? What year was that and how much did it cost? And did you ever visit their restaurant? What was the food like? How much was it for lunch – dinner. If you have any memories to share with us, please leave a comment below.
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Regent Cinema programme
Regent Cinema programme
Regent Cinema programme
Regent Cinema programme
Regent Cinema programme
Regent Cinema programme
Comments about this page
Interesting but your conversions of the costs into ‘decimal money,’ as it was once known, are incorrect. A dinner at 5/6, once converted, would cost 27½p. and a ‘posh seat’ at 7/- would be 35p.
Jennifer 7 shillings is 35 pence, and 2 x 7 shillings is 14 shillings or 70 pence!
The Table D’Hote Dinner is 5 shillings and 6 pence, so for 2 is 11 shillings = 55 pence!
Correction: Seven shillings is not 84 pence in today’s money – it is 35 pence.
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