News Release

29th September 2007

RECLAIM THE REGAL!

Thirty-eight people attended the meeting on Saturday (29th September) in the Guildhall, Lichfield called by Michael Fabricant to restart the Regal Cinema - formerly the Kwik Save in Tamworth Street, Lichfield. "I never anticipated so may would give up their Saturday to attend the meeting - and all felt the urgent need for a cinema showing specialist, as well as more commercial, films" says Michael Fabricant. "This huge response clearly demonstrates the need for a specialist cinema in the City. This could operate in addition to the multiscreen cinema which is proposed for the Friary Development in Birmingham Road in Lichfield. An arts cinema does just this in Derby.

"We discussed the aims of the cinema which would also include cooperation with the arts community in Lichfield. The Meeting felt, for example, that it could also be used as gallery space which is so desperately needed in the City."

A Steering Committee has now been formed consisting of 11 of the 38 attendees and they selected Carol Bache as Chairman. The Group has been named "Reclaim the Regal". Michael says: "I wanted to be the catalyst to start the Group and its Steering Committee and I am delighted that Carol will be chairing it. Other members include a merchant banker, an architect, and a quantity surveyor so there is plenty of expertise. I will now bow out though I have agreed to be a 'semi detached' ex officio member of the Steering Committee. I will, however, assist with any requests I receive from the Committee".

Meanwhile, Carol has put out an urgent appeal for any old photographs of the cinema when it was open. These should be emailed as an attachment to her at reclaimtheregal@googlemail.com or they can be posted to her care of Michael Fabricant, House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA.