A BETTY Grable print that used to hang on the wall of the Regal cinema in Devizes has found a new home after an appeal in this paper.

In the June 11 edition of the Gazette & Herald we printed a photograph of cinema owner Bill Bobby and former usherette Dolly Cave.

Betty Etheridge, 86, of Devizes, got in touch to say she recognised Mr Bobby, who had been a good friend of her husband, Tony Etheridge. Mr Bobby had given him a large framed print of Betty Grable and now she wanted to find a good home for it.

Her letter caught the eye of Sean Tye, 47, of Winterbourne Monkton, who grew up in Devizes and learned all about the town's cinemas while training as a chartered architect.

He said: "While studying I took an interest in the Palace and soon learned that there had been another cinema, The Regal, located in Monday Market Street.

"The cinemas were both designed by the same architect, Ernest S Roberts of Birmingham, and Bill Bobby had managed both of them.

"The Regal was of more interest to me because it was a pure art deco style building and seemed to evoke fond memories from whoever I spoke to."

The Regal, which opened in 1939, was built for and operated by A Austin Pilkington, who also operated the Palace. It had an attractive art deco-style brick facade and the proscenium (the area surrounding the stage opening) in the auditorium was 36 feet wide.

It was taken over by the independent Vale Cinemas chain in 1945 and closed in 1959. The front of the building was removed and it became a garage.

Mr Tye made a study of the Regal for his coursework and it was during that time that he met Tony Etheridge, Betty's husband, who worked for Wyvern Design, previously Edwards & Webster. It was Edwards & Webster that converted the Regal to a garage.

My Tye added: "Tony was involved with the conversion of the cinema to a garage and it was my understanding that during the alteration works he acquired the picture of Betty Grable from the foyer prior to demolition.

"In 1964 my father worked for the building contractor Gaiger Bros, who converted the cinema. He and Wayne Perkins cut the steelwork out of the tower roofs with oxyacetylene, a difficult job in itself as the gas bottles had to be manhandled up the tower stairs."

Mrs Etheridge was very interested in Mr Tye's memories and wanted him to have the print.

She said: "In my day I imagined I was Betty Grable – her and Doris Day were in all the musicals. But I won't be sad to see it go. It's just standing against the wall in the spare room now and it's a bit in the way.

"I'm pleased to see it go to someone else. I just hope Mr Tye is happy with it."

Do you have any memories or old photographs of the Regal Cinema? We'd love to hear your stories. Email aball@newswilts.co.uk