Grand (Llandudno)

• Theatre ID
  208
• Built / Converted
  1901
• Dates of use
  • 1901 - 1985
• Current state
  Extant
• Current use
  Licensed premises (Discotheque)
• Address
  Mostyn Broadway, Llandudno, Gwynedd, Wales

Details

A large, free-standing building, sited just outside the town centre near the south end of the promenade. Gaunt, red brick façe surmounted by low, semi-octagonal towers. Very fine, intimate auditorium, which, before conversion to disco, had 1,000 seats with two well-curved balconies of eight rows each, terminating in two boxes either side at first balcony level and one above. The boxes are divided by slender colonnettes with enriched shafts. Spanning the auditorium above the boxes is a segmental arch with lattice decoration, which has richly decorated panelled reveals. Saucer-domed ceiling with a plaster sunburst around a central rose. The plasterwork generally on balcony fronts, boxes, proscenium and ceiling is of excellent quality with delicately modelled foliated scrolls, festoons, putti, musical instruments etc. The exterior has been well maintained. Internally, the auditorium and stage form one discothecque space, with the stage carpeted and furnished as a sitting-out area, complete with upstage bar. The original auditorium plasterwork together with the proscenium arch are said to remain in situ and the garish modern disco fittings and decorations have been superimposed upon them. The house tabs have been taken down and folded away and the iron is still in place and in working order. During freak storms in the early 1990s the theatre was flooded both by rising water and a cascade through the roof. It remains to be seen how the concealed plasterwork has been affected. The substage area was flooded to a considerable depth, but the important original wooden machinery all appears to be in place and potentially in working order. The old wind machine is present but no sign can now be seen of the star-trap fitting. This is potentially the best traditional theatre in North Wales. It is sad that such a fine building is not playing a major role in the revival of Llandudno as a regional performance arts centre.

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• Other names
  Revivals Disco, Broadway Boulevard
• Events
  • 1901 - 1985 Use:
  • 1901 Design/Construction:
    • George Humphries (Mostyn Estate) - Architect
  • 1901 Design/Construction:
  • 1919 Owner/Management: A G Pugh, manager
  • 1928 Owner/Management: Mrs Kimberley, lessee & manager
  • 1933 Owner/Management: The Art Entertainments Ltd, proprietor
  • 1946 - 1950 Owner/Management: North Wales Entertainments Ltd, lessees
  • 1958 - 1976 Owner/Management: John Creese-Parsons, owner & manager
  • 1988 Owner/Management: Mr Duckenfield, owner; Mrs E Hughes & Mr B M P McLoughlin, managers
  • 1993 Owner/Management: McLoughlin
• Capacities
  • Later: 1962: 1000 1971: 1010
• Listings
  • Grade II*
• Stage type
  • Proscenium raked
• Dimensions
  • Stage dimensions: Depth: 15.24m Width SL: 9.14m SR: 9.14m
  • Proscenium width: 27ft 6in
  • Height to grid: 26.36m (c.50ft)
  • Orchestra pit: Original