The Roxy Theatre

Parramatta’s iconic Roxy Theatre is facing an uncertain future.

In the heart of Parramatta, a city booming with infrastructure and investment, sits a locked and crumbling icon. The Roxy Theatre, once the jewel of George Street, has been closed for over a decade.

For some, it evokes memories of lining up for Star Wars or Alien, the scent of popcorn, or the hum of the Christie theatre organ. For others, it recalls Friday night nightclub beats or watching footy on Sydney’s biggest screen in the west.

Built in 1930 in the Spanish Mission style, the nearly 2,000-seat cinema was operated by Hoyts, later sold to Village Cinemas, and finally purchased in 2002 by K Capital Group’s David Kingston. It was reimagined as a nightclub until closing permanently in 2014.

Since then, the 95-year-old heritage-listed site has sat idle, contrasting sharply with the surrounding bustle. To its left, the $21 million Civic Link pedestrian boulevard is under construction, while to its right, the future Parramatta Metro Station looms. It should have been the perfect moment to breathe new life into the Roxy. Instead, the site remains locked, its fate entangled in legal wrangling.

In 2024, Kingston lodged a development application to transform the site into a dining and entertainment precinct, discarding earlier plans for a 29-storey tower. The proposal aimed to open the Roxy’s rear to the Metro station, blending heritage charm with modern convenience. The application was rejected, partly because Sydney Metro, which compulsorily acquired surrounding land in 2019, refused access.

Kingston has since taken legal action against Sydney Metro, accusing it of “sterilising” the site and halting any chance of restoration. Sydney Metro says it continues to work with stakeholders on future precinct designs and has maintained dialogue with the Roxy’s owner.

Meanwhile, the City of Parramatta Council remains adamant: the theatre must be saved. CEO Gail Connolly has urged the NSW Government to acquire and restore the building, positioning it as a cultural cornerstone of the precinct.

In 2023, the state government commissioned Create NSW to explore options for the Roxy’s future as a music and performance venue. That business case is now complete, but its outcome remains under wraps.

For now, the Roxy stands silent - a once-glorious cultural beacon awaiting its curtain call.

By Lucy Pearson