64-66 Lyall Parade
aka Moore's Hall, Seaside Pictures or Tatler Theatre
Moore's Hall
The property at 64-66 Lyall Parade (then called Para Crescent) was purchased by Telene Moore in July 1910. In August she applied for a building permit for a hall, shop and tearooms, and the hall was officially opened on 28 December 1910. From 1911 the building was known as Moore’s Hall or Lyall Bay Hall but after about 1915 it seems that the name Moore’s Hall wasn’t used much, probably because the picture theatre opened then. In 1917 there was a complaint made to the council about skating happening on Sundays at ‘Moore’s Hall’. A photo of the building from January 1920 shows that it had signs saying ‘Moore’s Tea rooms’ and “Lyall Bay Hall’ at that time. Meetings and concerts were still held at the hall until at least 1921.
Seaside Pictures
In February 1913 management of the Lyall Bay Hall was taken over by the Maranui Surf and Lifesaving Club, who held galas and other functions there for a few years. In mid-November 1915 the Seaside Picture Palace opened in the hall with seating for 312 people. The proprietors were Harry Domb and Cyril D’Arcy Allen, but towards the end of February 1916 Domb sold his share of the partnership to Louis Gousmett. The theatre was known as 'Seaside Picture Palace’, 'Seaside Pictures’ and then ‘Seaside Theatre’ until 1944.
On 9 Feb 1923 Mr Winter, ‘owner’ applied for a building permit to add to the theatre. There was a fire in the building on 3 April 1929 but the auditorium was hardly damaged and the theatre reopened a month later. In September 1930 Kemball Theatres Ltd started Lyall Bay Pictures ‘to carry on business of cinematograph picture proprietors’.
Tatler Theatre
The last movie showing as Seaside Theatre was on 29 March 1944. The theatre closed for remodelling, and reopened as The Tatler Theatre on 22 April 1944 ‘streamlined for your entertainment’. Patronage tailed off after the Kilbirnie Kinema opened in Bay Road in Kilbirnie and the Tatler closed in 1951, becoming a 'Nibble Nook' store.
Later...
In the 1960s there was an aquarium in the building, and later a carpet wholesaler owned it. More recently the front part has housed a surf shop and a cafe. Today the building is a private residence.
Wellington City Archives: online index, and seating plan at https://archivesonline.wcc.govt.nz/nodes/view/119486, ref WCC Archives, 00544-9
Brittenden, W. (2008). The Celluloid Circus: The heyday of the New Zealand picture theatre 1925-1970. Published by Random House.
View full 1920 'Moore's Tea Rooms' photo (ref 1/2-049127-G) at National Library.