millionaire Kiwi cinema duo Kelly Rogers and David Ross to sell Northcote’s Bridgeway cinema

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David Ross and Kelly Rogers, pictured at one of their former cinemas, the Capitol, are selling the Bridgeway, the last cinema in their portfolio. Photo / Dean Purcell

Auckland’s Bridgeway Cinema turns 100 next year, and on the eve of its centenary, it’s going up for sale.

After 40 years of ownership, arthouse film pioneers Kelly Rogers and David Ross are letting go of the cinema that started it all: their first, and now the last they own together.

Situated in Northcote, across the road from award-winning bistro The Engine Room and next door to Italian restaurant Sfera, The Bridgeway is the birthplace of the partnership that built the Rialto cinema chain and multimillion-dollar Rialto Distribution business.

In 1993, their first Rialto cinema was built in Newmarket; cinemas followed in Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin and Hamilton.