Wembley Theatre and Gardens (fmr)

Statement of Significance

The place has aesthetic value for its remnant elements of the Inter War Functionalist style on the Cambridge Street façade and portion of the Station Street façade.

The place has historic value for its association with the development of the community in the Inter War period.

The place has historic value for its association with the widespread popularity of cinemas in metropolitan Perth in the Inter War period.

The place has social value for the members of the community who attended the place as a cinema from 1937 to 1962 and for its later function as a restaurant.

Physical Description

AArt Deco corner building that has retained much of its original design aesthetic to the facade. The place has a characteristic art deco style parapet with stepped elements and bands that were key elements of the style. The angled section of the façade facing the intersection incorporates a long thin window as well as increased height parapet.

As a former cinema, the upper levels of the elevations are mainly blank, with only small windows breaking up the rendered construction. The ground level benefits from a higher degree of activation with a number of shop units and the original entrance to the building. The shop frontages consist of a simple arrangement of large windows with frosted glazing and single glass and timber door. The original entrance has a large window divided into a series of panes in an art deco style arrangement, flanked by entrance doors. An awning extends around the façade.

Only the façade is original.

History

In 1937 the Wembley Theatre and Gardens, each holding about 800 seats, were built for Mervyn Lambert to a design by architect Frank Coote. This was a bad time to invest capital, and Lambert was unable to keep up payments on the loan, so shortly afterwards the venue was bought by Hatfields Pictures.

The cinema had an ingenious method of transferring the projectors across from one venue to the other, both bio-boxes were built in the middle of the venue, above the ground on pillars, with a rail track joining them. The projectors had only to be disconnected from the power, pushed along the track and reconnected, the whole process taking only a few minutes.

The theatre on the corner site, had a central staircase in the downstairs foyer giving access to the lounge above. A small confectionary shop was located on the street corner, within the theatre building, but with no access from the theatre side theatre patrons exited the theatre and entered the shop through the same entrance on the street front as the passing trade.

The ticket box was located inside the foyer, on the left, serving patrons for both theatre and gardens, and entrance to the gardens was through the side wall of the theatre foyer, exit from the gardens was on the street wall. In the gardens, there was a central deckchair section, surrounded by a low wall, and the rest of the space was filled with less comfortable wooden chairs.

Films continued to be screened in both theatre and gardens until after television arrived in Perth. In 1962, £17,000 was spent on conversion into a reception house, known as Wembley Lodge. The conversions were undertaken by contractors, J.L.C. Zelinski for Messrs Howawicz and Zen. The picture gardens were demolished at part of the works.

The building was gutted by fire in September 1980, and when rebuilt contained little of the interior of the original theatre, though the façade was retained.

Integrity/Authenticity

Integrity: Low
Authenticity: Low

Condition

Good

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Last Update

Disclaimer

This information is provided voluntarily as a public service. The information provided is made available in good faith and is derived from sources believed to be reliable and accurate. However, the information is provided solely on the basis that readers will be responsible for making their own assessment of the matters discussed herein and are advised to verify all relevant representations, statements and information.