Royal Playhouse Cinema

Heritage listing

Reason for designation: Included for street facade and as the remains of a C19 assembly room. History: Cinema, former assembly rooms. Originally built c1857 as assembly rooms, with an entrance described as like a pepper-pot, between a Turkish minaret and a Chinese pagoda . Remodelled in 1865 by H Maule-ffinch with a new front portico of 8 Tuscan columns, in time for the lunch for Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught, on the day of the unveiling of the statue of his father, Prince Albert, August 1865. Burnt down 1880 and reconstructed with present simpler facade. Interior subsequently altered in earlier C20 to a cinema, the gallery extended in 1914. The present gallery looks of the 1920s, but little else survives of that interior. Exterior: Cinema, painted stucco with corrugated asbestos roofs. Facade of 1-3-1 bays, with parapet, cornice and central pedimented projection with blank roundel to moulded pediment. Centre has 3 tall arched recesses, the centre one slightly larger with small blind arched panel. Framing of 4 thin pilasters carrying 3 moulded arches. Side bays have similar arched tall recess with blind arched panel, pilaster framing with moulded arches. Centre plain square headed double doors with overlight, outer bays have single doors. Roughcast plain side walls. Interior: Mostly altered, a gently pitched curved fronted balcony survives with Art Deco type motifs on the front. The proscenium arch with cornice and fluted pilasters mentioned in 1977 has gone. Location: On the N side of White Lion Street next to the Royal Gatehouse Hotel.

From Cadw under OGL v3.