The Mayfair.

I was invited to sketch at The Mayfair this week. It is the old Mayfair cinema that is now a restaurant and bar. It had it's first screening on 15th December 1916 and the last in September/October 1993. It originally cost £5283 to build and it still has some of it's old Art Deco features today. I decided to try the staircase which was not an easy task!

Here is my sketch:

And here are a few photos of some of the features. I think we will be back as we haven't really even scratched the surface of everything there is to draw there.

Here is a link to Puke Ariki if you want a little bit about it's history:

Puke Ariki - The Mayfair.

Mayfair Bar and Cafe , New Plymouth

The 'Mayfair' was originally a movie theatre built in the art-deco  style . In its time it was a pretty up-market kind of place  with an upstairs seating area and ground floor stalls . Mum made us  dress up in our best to go out to the movies and paid more to sit upstairs!  , People stood for the playing of  "God Save the Queen" before the program of  news films , many from overseas which is how we kept up to date  ,  Tom and Jerry cartoons , NZ short film productions of Fiordland or  the Bay of Islands  or the opening of Parliament .... and at half time a boy with a tray of pre-prepared ice creams would circulate . Dad would buy us one . What a treat !  . Then the main feature .. starring  Rock Hudson or John Mills or  whoever and more lately in colour ! .  Now its a friendly bar after the new owners completed the earthquake strengthening - as mentioned in last weeks sketches of St Mary's church.  MLB