NEW THEATRE

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 144, 15 December 1933, Page 10

NEW THEATRE

MANNERS STREET SITE

A £17,000 BUILDING

Approval was given by the City Council last night to the erection in Manners Street, on the James Smith block, of a new theatre, to be styled The Plaza. As the council is in recess until February and the proposal is to commence work almost at once the City Engineer was empowered to deal with such special condition's and requirements in regard to construction, exits, and so on as he thought fit. The Plaza will be another of the chain of theatres established by Amalgamated Theatres (N.Z.), Ltd., who are at present completing work at the State Theatre, Courtenay Place. As at that theatre, the Plaza will be on the small side, to give a comfortable, friendly atmosphere—the seating accommodation planned being about 1000 on one floor, but the interior arrangements will be such as to give a very different impression from that of the old style one-floor hall, bare, unattrac- j tive, and anything but friendly. The appointments will be thoroughly modern and the lighting a special feature. Messrs. Dawson and King, of Wellington, are at present busy with the plans, and it is l anticipated that the work will actually bo in hand in January. Tho main entrance will be from Manners Street, and the preliminary plans provide for ample exits, actually well in excess of the requirements of either the local regulations or those of the London County Council. The reinforced concrete construction will accord with all principles of earthquake resistant buildings, and the fireprooflng will be very thorough. The company is well satisfied with the progress that is being made with the State Theatre job, and is hopeful that it will be able to so time the commencement of tho Plaza that the men can be transferred direct to the new work. The erection of this second Wellington theatre in the Amalgamated chain will mean an expenditure of about £17,000 on labour and materials.