The Theatres Trust

Palace (Scunthorpe)

  • Theatre ID
    404
  • Built / Converted
    1912
  • Dates of use
    • 1912 - 1954
  • Current state
    Demolished
  • Current use
    demolished (closed as a supermarket in 1998, demolished and replaced by shopping centre 2002)
  • Address
    Cole Street, Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire, DN15 6QX, England

Details

Opened in 1912 with amateur operatic production. It has not been possible to obtain a description of the building when it first opened as the event was totally ignored by the local press and was not reported in The Era. However, a published post card suggests the front was constructed in three bays. The outer two consisted of square towers each surmounted by a tetrahedral cap. As now seen the painted front is in three bays, the centre one slightly higher and slightly recessed. Centre flat-fronted bay window with rounded ends at first floor level and, above this, a steel framed fin sign. The Palace had a varied career as a theatre and cinema until 1978 when the interior was completely gutted to form supermarket premises. The stalls and stage areas were levelled to form one continuous floor. Above was a permanently installed level which, for a time, was used as a sales area but later left disused and in poor condition. Supermarket use ceased in 1998 and the building was demolished to be replaced by the multi-storey car park for The Parishes Shopping Centre in 2002.


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  • Other names
    Palace Theatre, Savoy, Essoldo, Classic
  • Events
    • 1912 - 1954 Use:
    • 1912 Owner/Management: Charles Rex, acting manager
    • 1912 - 1913 Owner/Management: The Palace Theatre (Scunthorpe) Co Ltd, owners; Arthur Dobney, manager;
    • 1912 Design/Construction:
      • King - Architect
    • 1913 - 1931 Owner/Management: Alfred Blank, manager
    • 1931 - 1937 Owner/Management: F J Butterworth, lessee & manager
    • 1931 Alteration: wired for sound.
    • 1932 Alteration: reseated and Western sound system installed.
    • 1937 - 1954 Owner/Management: F J Butterworth, owner; D R Homan, manager
    • 1938 Alteration: auditorium rebuilt as cinema.
      • J Stanley Beard & Bennett - Architect
      • Harry Ashton (Barton-on-Humber) - Builder
    • 1954 Alteration: Cinemascope installed.
    • 1972 - 1978 Owner/Management: Hazel Miller, manager
    • 1978 Alteration: Gutted and converted to retail.
    • 1978 Owner/Management: Classic
    • 1978 - 1998 Owner/Management: Pennywise Poundstretcher
  • Capacities
    • Original: c.900
    • Later: 1937: 720 1949: 804 1978: 560
  • Listings
    • Grade Not listed
  • Stage type
    • Rake
  • Dimensions
    • Building dimensions: Frontage to Cole Street 62ft 6in Side to John Street 112ft 3in
    • Stage dimensions: d: c.28ft 3in wSL: 27ft 10.5in SR: 27ft 10.5in
    • Proscenium width: c.30ft 6in

Of the period

Auditorium of the King’s Theatre, Dundee
King's (Dundee)
Dundee

Have you seen?

Below stage area of the Alexandra Palace Theatre
Alexandra Palace Theatre
London

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