Piccadilly Theatre and Arcade

History

The Piccadilly Theatre, was one of a number of theatres and cinemas constructed in Perth and its suburbs during the Inter-war period. Originally constructed in the Inter-war Functionalist style, the Piccadilly represented the desire for enjoyment and entertainment displayed by Western Australians towards the end of the Depression. At the time of its construction, the place was fitted out with the most modern features and was the first cinema in Western Australia to be air conditioned.

The site was acquired by Claude Albo de Bernales's Australian Machinery and Investment Company Ltd in 1935. Bernales after completing the construction of London Court in July 1937 turned his attention to his property between Hay and Murray Streets. He set up Piccadilly Arcade Pty Ltd and engaged architects Alfred Baxter Cox and Leighton to design a theatre and shopping arcade for the site. The construction of Piccadilly Theatre and Arcade utilised part of the existing buildings on the site, with the construction contract going to a local firm, General Construction Company. Piccadilly Arcade opened in February 1938, with the theatre opening, a month later, on 10 March 1938. When it opened the theatre had a seating capacity of 1,100.

The theatre and arcade feature a number of bas relief friezes of dancing girls and 'Atlas type' figures which were moulded by Perth sculptor Edward Kohler. Kohler was the second professionally trained sculptor to practise successfully in Western Australia.

Piccadilly Theatre and Arcade remained under the ownership of Piccadilly Arcade Pty Ltd until 1978, when it changed hands a few times. In 1983, the owners Australian Fixed Trust (Permanent Trustee Nominees, Canberra) made a decision to restore Piccadilly Theatre and Arcade, and it was closed for refurbishment. Perth architect, Ian Tucker, was responsible for the work. The theatre and arcade reopened in March 1984. The $2 million (AUD) refurbishment won the Royal Australian Institute of Architects (WA Chapter) 'Architecture Design Award for Renovated Buildings' in 1986. Following the refurbishment, Piccadilly Theatre and Arcade was purchased for a reported $9.9 million by Alister Norwood, the then owner of Jeans West. In 1992, Piccadilly Theatre and Arcade was purchased by current owners Winston Holdings Pty Ltd, Su-Rama Holdings Pty Ltd and Ayoman Pty Ltd, as tenants in common.

In 1989 the cinema was sold by Hoyts to Glen Darlington, of Classic Cinemas, and closed briefly in early 1990. Malcolm Leech then took over the lease, and converted a section of the disused stalls into a small cinema, making the Piccadilly into a twin screen, seating 443 and 165 respectively. Leech subsequently converted the cinema into a triplex by adding a third cinema, with 103 seats, behind the main screen. In May 2001 Leech leased it to Denis McKenna.

In 2004, Ghosts of the Abyss, James Cameron's Titanic documentary, became the first 3-D film to be shown at the cinema.

In March 2005 the operation of the cinema was taken over by Cyril Watson, with the previous tenant, McKenna, leaving the cinema in 2004 with large unpaid debts.

In February 2010, a message was displayed on the cinemas website stating that everyone who attended the cinema was helping to restore it. This possibly means a restoration is being planned, although this was unable to be confirmed.

On 23 March 2010, a thunder storm with conditions not seen in almost fifty years damaged the cinema, forcing its temporary closure. The cinema re-opened after repair works were completed on 1 April 2010.

In May 2013, it was revealed that a portion of the cinema's roof had collapsed due to poor maintenance.

In September 2013, the current leaseholder of the cinema, Cyril Watson, announced that the cinema would close at the end of the September school holidays. It is reportedly $400,000 in debt for unpaid rent.

The cinema re-opened in 2014 as the Noodle Palace venue as part of the 2014 Fringe World Festival. The last projected film to be screened to an audience at the cinema is from the closing night performance (23 February 2014) of When God Met Satan.

Heritage value

The Piccadilly Theatre and Arcade was interim listed on the Register of the National Estate on 5 December 1988 and classified by the National Trust (WA) on 5 December 1988. The building(s) were also included on the City of Perth's Municipal Inventory on 13 March 2001 and were permanently listed on the State Register of Heritage Places on 20 December 2002 by the Heritage Council of Western Australia.

Haunting

The complex is reportedly haunted by the ghost of a former manager. It is stated on the CinemaWeb website, the ghost was first discovered by a repairman fitting doors onto cinema one. He claimed to have seen it as a "shadowy figure" walking across the foyer to the lift. However, his account states that it was a customer, not a manager, who was locked in one night and fell down the stairs in the dark. The customer was found dead in the morning. It is also stated that in order to do his work properly, one of the cleaners had to have every light on and the pre-show music playing so that he would not be too scared.