Royal Opera House (Coventry)

• Theatre ID
  111
• Built / Converted
  1889
• Dates of use
  • 1889 - 1940
• Current state
  Demolished
• Current use
  demolished
• Address
  Hales Street, Coventry, West Midlands, England

Details

A significant three tier theatre by Essex & Nicol with C J Phipps as consultant, altered and improved by Sprague in 1898. Bomb damaged in 1940 but reopened as a cinema in 1941. Plans were to revert to theatre use after the war. There was a perceived need at that time for a civic theatre but the Royal Opera House was not entertained for that role. It closed in 1961 and was demolished that year.

---

Hide further details

• Other names
  Opera House, Grand
• Events
  • 1889 - 1940 Use:
  • 1889 Design/Construction:
    • Essex & Nicol - Architect
  • 1898 Alteration: alterations to front of dress circle, gallery and proscenium
    • W G R Sprague - Architect
  • 1889 Design/Construction:
    • C J Phipps - Consultant: Consulting Architect
    • William Goodall & Co (Liverpool) - Consultant: Structural Decorators
  • 1898 Design/Construction:
    • De Jong & Co (London) - Consultant: Interior Decoration
  • 1889 Owner/Management: W Bennett, proprietor
  • 1912 Owner/Management: H G Dudley Bennett
  • Owner/Management: H C Orr, proprietor
  • 1961 Owner/Management: Sketchleys, proprietor
• Capacities
  • Original: 2000
• Listings
  • Grade Not listed
• Stage type
  • Rake
• Dimensions
  • Building dimensions: 1889 auditorium: 16.45m x 15.23m (54ft x 50ft wide)
  • Stage dimensions: 1889 d: 9.14m (30ft) w: 21.33m (70ft)
  • Proscenium width: 1889: 7.31m (24ft)