The Windsor Twin cinema in Nedlands will become part of the Luna Palace group this week following a leasing agreement between the owners and Luna Palace management.
The Windsor Twin cinema in Nedlands will become part of the Luna Palace group this week following a leasing agreement between the owners and Luna Palace management.
The Windsor Twin cinema in Nedlands will become part of the Luna Palace group this week following a leasing agreement between the owners and Luna Palace management.
Luna Palace Cinemas managing director Ingrid Van Den Berghe said the Windsor was in a good location and would complement the other Luna Palace cinemas in Perth.
“The Windsor is a good opportunity,” she said. “We see a change in programming [initially] and style down the track.
“We want to add at least two more cinemas by around 2007.”
Mrs Van Den Berghe was confident the Windsor’s listing with the Heritage Council of Western Australia wouldn’t rule out some improvements to the cinema.
“There is definite room to expand at the Windsor,” she said. “Hopefully we can work it through with the Heritage Council.
“The council realise we are a business and we want to keep the cinema going into the future.”
Mrs Van Den Berghe said the vendors, who retain ownership of the building, had operated the cinema for the past 22 years and wanted to lease it to a reputable company that would ensure the cinema would continue to screen quality films.
Mrs Van Den Berghe said the current independent cinema market was quiet this time of year due to pre-Christmas festivities.
“[Independent cinemas] haven’t taken as bad a blow as the commercial market,” she told WA Business News.
“There are going to be some quality art house films coming up in the near future, so that will lift ticket sales.”
The Luna Palace Cinemas joint venture was formed in October 2000.
Luna independent cinemas was spearheaded by director Barry Peak and Mrs Van Den Berghe in 1994 with the development of the Luna Leederville.
Palace Cinemas has 60 screens at 20 locations in five states across Australia and is owned by Antonio Zeccola.
The Windsor Twin cinema will join a list of Luna Palace cinemas include Luna Leederville, Cinema Paradiso in Northbridge, Luna on SX in Fremantle, Astor Cinema in Mt Lawley, and Camelot Outdoor in Mosman Park.
The Windsor, built in 1930, is regarded as a fine example of inter-war functionalist and inter-war art deco architecture.