Located in Kirkgate on the corner of Sun Lane, it was designed and built in the Art Deco style for Associated British Cinemas by in-house architect William R. Glen and opened as the Regal Cinema on 9 December 1935.

Although provision was made for an organ with chambers to the side and above the proscenium, one was never installed.

[1][2] In 2007 Blockbuster Entertainment sought planning permission to convert the building into 119 one- and two-bedroom flats,[2] eight shops and a rooftop garden.

In December 2013 a property company, PS & S Ltd, applied for planning permission to demolish the building and replace it with a modern apartment block.

The Beatles had only released one single at this stage – Love Me Do,[5] which had reached number 17 in the charts.