Special Council Meeting - City of Burnside

Landmarks of Burnside
The Chelsea Cinema | Kensington Road
On November 24, 1925 the Princess Theatre on the
corner of Kensington Road and Uxbridge Street at
Marryatville opened. The Theatre was designed by
architect C.A. Smith and constructed by contractor
L.A. Williams. The original plans had the cinema
roughly three metres further forward. However at
the request of the Burnside Council, the cinema
was moved back to allow for future widening of
Kensington Road. With an original capacity of
1,300, the Princess Theatre had seating supplied
by John Marshal and Company, the piano by Allans,
timber by Walter & Morris Limited and lead lights
and glass by Clarksons, and special black enamel
bricks made by the Metropolitan Brick Company. In
1928, the Princess Theatre became the Marryatville
Ozone when Ozone Pictures took over the theatre.
In 1963, the city Engineer Gordon Allen reported
to Mayor Bolton that Amoco was to buy the cinema
the next day and replace it with a petrol station.
The Burnside Council immediately intervened and
purchased the cinema. The current owner – Hoyts
- leased the cinema back for screenings
on Saturdays.
Eight years later in 1971, Hoyts decided not to
renew their lease and Wallis tendered to operate
the cinema, renaming it the Chelsea Cinema. Upon
taking over the cinema, Wallis offered to open
the cinema seven nights a week, host thirteen
fundraisers per year, as well as run a children’s
matinee program during the school holidays. Over
the years, Wallis has honoured this offer, with
more than 60 fundraisers per year and up to four
sessions per day for children during the holidays.
Strengthening this commitment, Wallis has also
provided daily matinees as a service to the local
elderly community who may be unable to go out at
night or into the city.
When Wallis took over in 1971, it was considered a
risky choice. Business was slow and the equipment
redundant. With projection equipment dating back to
1937, a small, marked screen, dozens of damaged
seats, worn out curtains and carpet. Further,
nearly 10% of the stalls was white ant infested.
40