Cover Photo: Facebook/Cathay Building
Photo: Facebook/Cathay Building
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Did you know that The Cathay Cineplex in Handy Road was once considered the tallest building in Singapore?
If you grew up in Singapore, it’s unlikely that you don’t have at least one fond memory of visiting The Cathay Cineplex in Handy Road. From fun movies with friends after exams ended to first, second and maybe third dates, the building holds a special place to many Singaporeans.
So when it was announced that the cinema would be ceasing operations from June 26, people were understandably upset. Independent cinema operator The Projector will be taking over the space with a pop-up, Projector X: Picturehouse.
The space will be used for films and live performances and will also feature a cocktail and craft beer bar.
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In its statement, media company MM2 Asia, which runs the Cathay Cineplexes chain in Singapore, said that the closure of the cinema is “part of the cost rationalisation process for its cinema operations”.
“The cinema’s closure was a business decision. Over the years, retail traffic demographics have changed. We have had to evaluate the commercial viability of operating two cinemas in the Orchard shopping belt within 1.5km of each other and within 300m of another multiplex,” said Chang Long Jong, the group chief executive for MM2 Asia.
Chang was talking about the Cathay Cineplex Cineleisure outlet at the Cathay Cineleisure building in Grange Road, which will be operating as usual as will the other Cathay outlets around the island.
Here are six facts you may not know about one of Singapore’s oldest cinemas.
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1. It was opened in 1939
When the Handy Road Cathay Cineplex outlet opened its doors on October 3, 1939, it boasted 1,321 seats in the cinema and was the first public space in Singapore to be fully equipped with air-conditioning.
When the cinema opened, the opening film that was screened was Four Feathers, a British adventure film that starred Ralph Richardson and C. Audrey Smith.
2. It used to be the tallest building in Singapore
With many of our buildings now soaring past 50 storeys, it’s hard to imagine that once upon a time, the building that the Cathay Cineplex outlet was housed in what was once considered the highest building in Singapore.
The building, which was designed by architect Frank Brewer from Swan & Maclaren (which is also one of the oldest architectural firms in Singapore), was the tallest building when it first opened at 80 meters tall. It had 16 storeys and was also the tallest in then-Malaya.
3. Pilots used the building as a landmark
Since it used to be the tallest building in Singapore, at one point, pilots used to identify the building as a marker so that they could line themselves up with the runway while preparing to land.
Today, technology has advanced so much that markers such as these are no longer essential.
4. The building was used during the war
Surprisingly, Covid-19 was not the biggest challenge this Cathay Cineplex outlet has endured. In fact, it survived being a key building during World War Two as well.
In 1941, this cinema continued to show films despite the fact that many were staying home due to the war. When the war hit Singapore, the main building of The Cathay was rented out to the government and war departments. It housed the British Malaya Broadcasting Corporation and Royal Airforce.
When the Japanese invaded Singapore, they took over the building’s broadcasting facilities and the Japanese Broadcasting Department made it their temporary base.
Throughout this, movies were still screened (albeit less frequently) for the public. The fourth floor of the theatre screened American movies only for Japanese officers.
5. The building was converted into a hotel and cinema at one point
When the Japanese finally surrendered, the building was returned to its founder Loke Wan Tho, who made the decision to turn the space into a hotel and cinema. The hotel was named the Cathay Hotel and opened in 1954 with 60 rooms. It later was expanded to 170 rooms and was a popular spot for celebrities, tourists and families.
The hotel itself was very vibrant with a nightclub, restaurant, swimming pool, and shopping arcade. However, it was closed in 1970 and 10 floors of the building were converted into office premises with the top floor occupied by the Cathay Organisation.
In 1971, the cinema once again made history when The Cathay Organisation set up Singapore’s first and only drive-in cinema at the location. It was the largest in Asia and saw 300 seats for walk-in customers at the gallery and 899 speaker stands in a 5.6-hectare site.
6. It has gone through a SG$100 million refurbishment
In 1999, Cathay announced that they had plans to spend SG$100 million to refurbish the whole complex.
The Cathay building screened its last movie in 2000 before closing for the renovations. During the refurbishments, the front facade of its theatre building structure was gazetted as a national monument for conservation in 2003.
The building as it is known today reopened to the public in 2006.
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Camillia Dass is the digital writer for Tatler Singapore.
