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Pioneer Village Theatre and Cinema

Mon, 12 Feb 2007, 12:43 am
jonko10 posts in thread
Hello everyone and anyone, I'm writing to see if I can get some feedback on the Pioneer Village Theatre /Cinema in Armadale. I've done quite a bit of research about this building and it was last used as a cinema back in Autumn last year (Oct/Nov time). I'm considering emigrating to Australia and I was considering an option to lease this bulding and run it as an independent cinema/theatre. Obviously, this is only a thought at this moment in time. Trouble is I know little about this town only that it seems to be quite a way out of Perth and in a small touristic village of middle class/middle age population. I spoke with the owners agents and they suggested I should do more research and try to contact people who know of the area to get an idea of what they thought. My idea would be to run it as a independent cinema showing independent, art house and quality mainstream films but I don't really know of the likly hood of such a venue working in Armadale as I don't know the place at all. I would dedicate some time over to theatre groups and maybe look at putting on music, cabaret, comedy etc to diversify the programme a bit as I don't think that as a normal cinema it wouldn't be able to compete with the nearby Piccadilly Cinema complex (incidently owned by the same company which is why they closed the Pioneer). There is a real danger that if the owner doesn't find someone to take it on soon he will redevelop it as a Lodgings House - as he already has a few and wants more. I wondered if anyone who knows the area could give my some idea of the area and if they thought such a project would be likely to work in Armadale or would I be committing financial suicide!!?? Thanks in advance for your time and thoughts. Thanks for you help. jonko

The Heritage Angle

Wed, 14 Feb 2007, 12:03 pm
The PV theatre is part of a 'reconstructed' township of about the 1850s, along the lines of Sovereign Hill in Ballarat Vic and others around the country. SH is a hugely successful tourist attraction these days. If PV was in Kalgoorlie rather than Armadale, I'd say it would do a lot better. (Come to think of it, there IS something like it in Kal as well, but without a theatre). Nevertheless, if the theatre was run in keeping with that heritage theme (eg music halls, historic costume dramas etc), I'm sure it would do much better than it has been doing as just a general cinema. I'd love to be involved in something like that. All the best anyway. Ssstinger>>>

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