Mid Sussex Times October 18 1978

A SERIOUS bid to bring cinema back to Haywards Heath is being made by Dave Fowler, manager of the Regal Cinema, Cranleigh. For Mr. Fowler and three local residents have had a site meeting at the building which was once the Perrymount and decided to launch an attempt to re-open it for the showing of films.

It is owned at present by a development company who want to get consent for a supermarket on the site. However, Mr. Fowler understands they are persuaded from doing this by the Town and Country Planning Act of 1972.

“After an inspection of the premises yesterday we are convinced that it is able to be acquired if can be re-opened,” he said.

In the next 10 days or so it is intended to distribute notices in the display of the Haywards Heath shops seeking support for re-opening the Perrymount. The group already has a petition bearing more than 1,000 signatures in support of the plans.

A confident Mr. Fowler says he has made a survey of Haywards Heath and its satellite villages and he believes the new Perrymount would cater for up to 70,000 people living in the area.

He said: “Everybody we have asked about re-opening the cinema has said that a wonderful idea—we do hope it comes about because we have to go into Brighton to go to the pictures at the moment.”

This, Mr. Fowler points out, could cost a couple along with fares at least £5. It is his belief that if the lights could go on again at the Perrymount it would seat an audience of 760 to 800 people and he can economically by charging £1 a head admission.

Any offers of assistance in the project of acquiring, refurbishing and re-opening the Perrymount will be eagerly gratefully received, and all letters acknowledged. Local support organisers are Mr. George Nye (Haywards Heath 55590) and Mrs. Mary Coughlan (Haywards Heath 56775).

CAMPAIGN POSTERS

Mr. George Nye, who was born in Haywards Heath and was a regular cinema fan until the Perrymount closed its doors, commented: “We were told that the old Broadway cinema was unsafe and had to close, but 26 years later it still looks pretty solid. After that our other cinema, the Perrymount, was alleged to need extra fire precautions so that it had to shut down as well, but 16 years as a cinema there was no fire hazard.”

Mrs. Mary Coughlan, a former usherette at the Broadway deplores the loss of the two cinemas and, like others, feels there is a need for somewhere for the younger generation to go. “If you want to enjoy an up-to-date film in comfort, it means going to Brighton,” she said.

The petition Mrs. Coughlan has been taking round, calling for a cinema in Haywards Heath, was signed by over a thousand people in the first five days, and now a publicity campaign has been launched which will result in yellow posters about the attempt to re-open the Perrymount going up all over the town.

Mr. Fowler says that if he had a quarter-of-a-million pounds of his own he would buy the place, strip it out, fit Pullman chairs, deep pile carpet, four-track magnetic sound and the latest long-running projection equipment. He guarantees that at least once he would have the money back in three years.

“Maybe the Perrymount will have a second gala opening,” he says. “But this time there is no opposition hall in Haywards Heath. It will have the town all to itself and it will be Haywards Heath’s very own cinema—no circuit mandarin will be able to order ‘close it.’

With regard to the type of films to be shown, Mr. Fowler said: “If I wanted to lose money I would put on X certificate films during the school holidays. That is just what A.B.C., the last people who ran the cinema, did when on August 5, 1972, they showed ‘The Devils.’ It was destined to be the final programme at the Perrymount.”

Before the cinema could re-open, he says, a lot would have to be done, although the seating appeared to be in reasonable order and would serve until it was decided whether to operate the Perrymount on a single or twin cinema with two screens.

There were seemingly insurmountable problems to be solved in finding the acquisition of the property. Equipment would have to be bought and installed and electrical wiring might have to be renewed, but despite all these things there was no despondency among local people who were facing these tasks for the benefit of the community at large.

ZONED AS CINEMA

A spokesman for Mid Sussex District Council said to approach had been made to them about the matter, but it wouldn’t be necessary unless alterations or additions were planned for the building, as the Perrymount was still zoned as a cinema. “The opening of up again for the purpose of showing films wouldn’t constitute a change of use.”

In July, an outline planning application from Safeways for a supermarket and car park was refused because the site was not allocated for shopping development, land had been allocated for that purpose and the release of further land outside would conflict with the Town Map and the Haywards Heath Interim Plan. The strategic policy for shopping was being considered as part of the County Structure Plan.

For the record, the Perrymount had its gala opening on May 30, 1936, and according to the Mid Sussex Times that week there were “scenes of great enthusiasm.” Couples glided over the Perrymount’s spacious dance floor in the ballroom, while others looked on sipping cocktails.

Built by Mid Sussex Cinemas Ltd., the place was welcomed as a complete innovation on the local entertainment scene and, as well as being a cinema, it incorporated a dance hall and cafe restaurant. There was seating for almost a thousand and the attractive furnishings ran to champagne satin stage draperies.

Yes, the Perrymount was the talk of the town then, as it is today. It was felt to be particularly modern as it borrowed the “stadium principle” from America which, according to the designers, meant that there were raised seats with good sight-lines without the drawbacks of having a balcony.