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It's 5 years since the popular Manly Cinema closed, and it has been empty since.
The original cinema on the site, The Embassay, was built in 1933. Manly Twin Cinema closed in 1913.
Manly needs a cinema, according to Northern Beaches Councillor Candy Bingham. She is taking action to see what can be done to reinstate the Manly Cinema, which closed in 2013 and has sat vacant ever since. Cr Bingham is asking Council to clarify if it was a condition of consent that a cinema is part of the new high-rise development built in 1988, and whether there is any action Council can take to reinstate a cinema in Manly. According to Councillor Bingham, the owner of the premises lives overseas. Although there are business people wanting to operate the cinema various attempts to contact the owner have not been successful. “Manly is more than beaches and restaurants. We need to provide other forms of entertainment and things for people to do, particularly for our youth. “Locals are always asking me when is the Cinema reopening – it’s time we did something about making that happen” Councillor Bingham added. For more than 82 years there was a cinema screening movies at 45 East Esplanade. The first was the Embassy built in 1933. This was later closed for renovations and reopened in 1960 as the Odeon following the closure of the original Odeon Cinema in The Corso. The ‘new’ Odeon was demolished to make way for commercial premises and apartments. Manly Twin Cinema became part of that new development and opened in 1988. What are your memories of the Cinemas in Manly? Do you remember the Odeon?
27 Comments
Megan
2/4/2019 07:35:02 am
Thank you Candy for your probe into this. It’s a major hole in Manly’s offering. It’s the one thing our children consistently ask when we pass the site “when is the cinema re-opening!”. I hope we hear positive news soon.
Lawrence
15/7/2019 02:44:02 pm
Hi there Candy
Candy Bingham
15/7/2019 04:41:50 pm
Thanks for this Lawrence. Excellent idea and worth pursuing.
Lawrence
15/7/2019 04:45:27 pm
Thanks for listening and for giving it a go .
Lawrence
15/7/2019 06:02:57 pm
Thanks
Ken Olah
2/4/2019 08:06:34 am
We and many friends really miss the cinema. There’s plenty of locals ready to be ‘regulars’.
Lawrence Nethery
2/4/2019 08:40:39 am
C’mon James Griffin , Candy Bingham
Don Walker
2/4/2019 09:15:25 am
You are asking Zali what she is doing to bring back the old cinema?, this is strictly a state and local government issue, not a hopeful candidate whom would object to the reopening of the theatre because it takes energy to run it.
susan masur
2/4/2019 08:49:55 am
We were just talking about this today. We really neeed this and thank you Candy for trying to make it happen. We had three cinemas here when I was growing up. Now none. What a shame those beautiful old cinemas were demolished.
David Hulme
2/4/2019 08:50:50 am
As much as I love The Orpheum Manly Cinema was just great for locals and tourists alike. A great community loss. Thank you so much for still pursuing this 5 years on. I was interested to see that the Manly Cinemas sign was also lately removed. I could certainly imagine a new Manly cinema and given our location even a Manly Film Festival. Perhaps we could start with a “Manly Open Air Cinema” in summer at Manly Oval for example. Thanks Candy for your ongoing commitment to Manly community
Diana McMillan
2/4/2019 08:58:14 am
I would love the cinema to open again. It is one reason we moved to Manly in 2013.
DON WALKER
2/4/2019 09:10:46 am
Candy, why is it that you are the only community representative who takes on projects that the community are wholly in favour of. Surely this is something that all councillors should be supporting - yes even those from the old Pittwater and Warringah regions plus our state parliament representative. Surely there is some mechanism where council can impose financial penalties on the owner for a failure to maintain our old cinema, even if it means raising the rates tenfold.
Candy Bingham
2/4/2019 09:49:45 am
Thanks Don for your ongoing support. The Councillors all work well together so if I can find a solution for this, I'll have their full support.
Jane Rothman
2/4/2019 10:23:10 am
I agree! I really miss our local cinema. Good work. Here’s hoping for a positive outcome
Brigitte Banziger
2/4/2019 10:32:26 am
It would be great for the community if Manly had its cinema back. I walk past the empty space almost every day and am constantly reminded of the loss for the community.
Joanna Dinning
2/4/2019 12:47:48 pm
The loss of Manly cinema is the loss of a cultural institution for the area and should be reinstated for its past and present cultural significance and contribution to the community. No doubt ! This needs to be again pursued . In regards to state and local govt responsibility I do believe the federal government has a policy around vacant residences owned by foreign investors and the ATO fine such owners . So at a federal level perhaps Zali can in fact have a look at whether this applies to commercial ‘ghost’ properties - which it should - vacant is vacant - and perhaps Between state and federal and local govt taxes for leaving any space vacant the owner might be placed in a different situation . However a tax probably does not affect such an owner - so how about an additional values based approach ie no property such as commercial spaces permitted to be vacant for longer than 6 months - after this they need to be utilised.
Helen Redmond
2/4/2019 04:23:22 pm
Oh yes please!!! It's a similar tale to the Theatre Royal in King Street, in the city - closed for "renovations" about six years ago. I don't understand how the overseas owner can't be contacted - if only through the real estate agent from whom the cinema was purchased!
Dennis Caldwell
2/4/2019 06:15:09 pm
Candy Good on you!!
Lawrence Nethery
2/4/2019 07:27:00 pm
Having read all these wonderful community contributions to this initiative today , I’d remind you all to ‘keep the dream’ alive and keep on the case of all our local representatives to take this issue on for us .
Lindy Tallis
2/4/2019 08:15:54 pm
Thank you Candy for pursuing this important issue on behalf of Manly residents. As one of the nations top tourist sites with the constant influx of visitors throughout the year, it is incredible that Manly lacks a cinema when there is clearly demand for it from both locals and tourists alike. Manly is the perfect place to host an Arts or Film Festival - a cinema would be culturally enriching to the area and community.
Jenny Kidd
2/4/2019 11:00:18 pm
Is there pressure that can be put on the owner re a vacant premise being a fire hazard & home for vermin? Who knows what is going on in there!
Lois Singer
3/4/2019 08:23:23 am
Oh how I miss that lovely little Manly Cinema. Thank you Candy, for trying to get some action on this issue.
Bob Pauling
3/4/2019 05:28:03 pm
Thanks Candy,
Marco
7/4/2019 11:27:20 am
Would be great if the cinema could reopen,thanks for pursuing this Candy!
Eric
13/6/2019 12:40:11 pm
Long-term vacant buildings are bad for Manly as they drive up commercial rents, limit diversity of shops (do we need another cafe?) and create blight in an areas of great historic and aesthetic appeal. The NB Council should impose higher rates on buildings which are left vacant for more than a year so that wealthy/absent owners are less likely to use them as a store of capital at the expense of residents and tourists who contribute so much to the local economy and quality of life
Lawrence
13/6/2019 12:50:09 pm
Thanks Eric.
Lawrence
21/10/2019 08:24:00 am
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AuthorCandy Bingham, Deputy Mayor & Manly Ward Councillor on Northern Beaches Council. Background in marketing, public relations and community engagement. Author of five business books. Former Lady Mayoress of Sydney. Aka Candy Tymson. ........................................
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