Royal Cinema
5 Ward's End,
Halifax,
HX1 1DE
5 Ward's End,
Halifax,
HX1 1DE
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Additional Info
Architects: Christopher Rowland Cooper, Richard D. Horsfall
Firms: Horsfall and Sons
Styles: Baroque
Previous Names: Theatre Royal
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The Theatre Royal, a replacement of an earlier theatre, opened in 1904/5 purely for live entertainment. A superb façade in ashlar stone in the Edwardian style dates from this period, and was designed by Richard Horsfall & Son of Halifax.
The 1,900-seat auditorium, believed to have been on 4 levels was gutted in April 1937 and to the plans of architect Christopher Rowland Cooper a new two tier 2,200-seat cinema auditorium was created which extended into the stage area. The Royal Cinema closed on February 26, 1966 with Robert Taylor in “Ivanhoe” & Johnny Weissmuller in “Tarzan and the Mermaids”.
It became a bingo hall which in turn closed in the 1990’s. Various redevelopment schemes, retaining the façade of the Grade II Listed building, but demolishing the auditorium came to nought and it re-opened as a nightclub, Chinese restaurant, and bar. Unfortunately, by 2007 these had closed and the building was ‘For Sale’.
Plans proposed in July 2022 are to build a hotel within the existing walls and above the current structure.
Contributed by
Ian Grundy
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Recent comments (view all 5 comments)
The nightclub has now closed and the building is boarded up and for sale. Photos taken October 2007.
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There is currently (2008) a proposal to demolish the auditorium and incorporate the facade and various other bits into a new build hotel. In truth there is virtually nothing worth saving in the much altered interior. Photos (interior and exterior) taken in August 2008 here:–
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There is a new proposal to build a hotel within (and above) the existing walls.
The Royal (as it was advertised in its last decade or so) closed on Saturday February 26th 1966 after a seven day run of the revival double bill Ivanhoe and Tarzan and the Mermaids. The cafe appears to been open to the end.
I see that the overview has been amended, but with the wrong closure date. The Royal closed in 1966, not 1956. From mid 1954 to 1958 the Royal was the Halifax home of 20th Century Fox CinemaScope films and the only cinema in town with 4 track mag. stereo sound. The last film advertised in stereo was a revival of Mary Poppins from Dec 26th 1965, but the early February 1966 revival of The King and I was probably the last film in stereo.