Palace Theatre

New Theatre 

The building was originally known as the Floral Hall. It opened in 1876 and was intended to be a skating rink. It was described as being “the largest covered rink in the country, but will also be one of the finest buildings for concerts, outside of London”. The Palace Theatre of Varieties opened on Monday 17th June 1901 with a “Grand Opening Night” Variety Bill. It was built for British theatre manager Oswald Stoll and was designed by the renowned theatre architect Frank Matcham, in an elaborate Moresque style.   

The Palace Theatre, Belgrave Gate

Glorious interior 

The lobby was furnished with an ornate dome. Its walls contained panels filled with embossed tiles, from Spain, and the floor was made of terrazzo. The waiting area was semi-circular with a glass and iron domed roof. It resembled a winter garden with a rockery and fountain overlooked by a rustic smoking balcony. The main hall was highly decorated, constructed on three tiers, with a sliding roof so that stale air could be released. In 1901 it was the largest theatre outside London with a capacity of the 3,500 people.  

The inside of the theatre

Success and decline 

One of the most famous productions was a play called “Mexico”. The spectacular climax of the play saw the performers, on horseback, leaping down a waterfall into a lake. In the 1950s stars such as Peter Sellers, Benny Hill, Terry Thomas, and Shirley Bassey played at the Palace. By the late 1950s the theatre was fighting for its existence against the competition from television and the quality of entertainment declined. The final curtain fell on the 21st of February 1959. The Palace was sold to Sketchleys Ltd and was demolished shortly afterwards.