The owner of Adelaide's Regal Theatre, Michael Todd, has announced plans for a multi-million dollar expansion that could add up to five new cinema screens next door to the existing venue on Kensington Road.
Todd, who also revitalised the Chelsea Cinema in the eastern suburbs before rebranding it as the Regal, said the expansion is necessary for the viability of the single-screen theatre. He has engaged architects for the project, which could begin within 18 months if approvals and financing are secured.
The expansion has provisional support from a community lobby group that previously fought to save the Chelsea Cinema. Lobbyist Andrew Phillips said complementary additions would benefit the site's future viability.
Todd returned full-time to the business recently after dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder following the death of his close friend Bob Cornish, who fell from the cinema roof shortly after Todd took over the Chelsea site.
He promised that the art deco Regal Theatre would remain largely untouched during the expansion. Burnside Council said it would wait to see a development plan before commenting.
