THE ROXY VISION AND HISTORY
- The Roxy was built in 1936 by three Greek partners from the island of Kythera in
Greece, as a magnificent art deco cinema with an adjoining café in the town of Bingara
in northern NSW. In 2004, The Roxy Theatre was re-opened to the public as a cinema,
performing arts venue and multi-purpose function centre that includes a variety of
conferences, seminars, weddings and private functions.
Bingara has a population of 1,300. For the past three years, approximately 13,000
people have visited The Roxy and Tourist Information Centre housed in the venue. Of
those visitors, approximately 10,000 people attended an event at The Roxy, with large
numbers of those travelling from outside the local area.
It has proved a remarkable success and has become a significant icon in the region.
In 2009, the Gwydir Shire Council was the recipient of a grant for $750,000 through the
Department of Heritage, Environment, Water and the Arts under the Australian
Government Jobs Fund. The funding was received to realize a multi-faceted project that
includes:
•
the restoration of the art deco café adjoining The Roxy Theatre
• a conference facility upstairs above the café
• a museum
• the relocation of the Tourist Information Centre within The Roxy
• a Trade Training Centre offering Certificate III Level Hospitality Training run
in conjunction with DET and TAFE NSW funded by DEEWR (Stage 2)
The restoration project above does not include the design and fit out of The Roxy
Museum which will be integrated throughout the functioning theatre and café. Once
complete, The Roxy will become a living and functioning monument that provides a
unique sense of place and deep understanding of cultural heritage. A Grant has just been received to complete the Roxy Museum.
The Roxy Café
Walking through the door of The Roxy Café will be like stepping back in time.
The Roxy Café will be a fully functioning traditional art deco café, complete with
original fixtures and fittings from the Café that operated on the site in 1936. In
this way, the Café becomes a “living” museum that provides an authentic
experience for every visitor.
Operation of the café will include the provision of food and beverages as they
would have been served in the 1930s. As the mixed grill was invented by the
Greeks, this, and other iconic dishes, will be included on the menu.
The café will contain displays of confectionary from the period, as well as
appropriate photographs, advertising and signage.
A shop window, designed by
a museum curator, will replicate the elaborate window displays from the period
to provide the visitor with a sense of the authentic experience to be had upon
entering. Period glass display cases will replicate the confectionary counters that
were the pride of the Greek cafe, as well as objects from cafés of the period.
Merchandise and souvenirs will also be on display and available for purchase in
the café