Workington Opera House

The Workington Opera House - Pre 1927.

The Workington Opera House, or The Opera as it was known, is a purpose built theatre located in Workington, Cumbria, England. Originally built as the Queen’s Jubilee Hall & Opera House it was gutted by fire in 1927 and rebuilt with a fine wide auditorium, and Ornamental ceiling with seating for 1200. The theatre has good sightlines and a large stage and currently sits empty after its former use as a bingo hall ended in 2004.

History

The Workington Opera House - 2010.

The theatre was designed by T. L. Banks & Townsend and had a small auditorium with two balconies accommodating 1,130 people. The theatre was also equipped with a small stage with a proscenium width of 11 metres, a depth of 9.14 metres and a grid height of 14 metres. An orchestra pit for 16 musicians was also included.^[1]

• Other names:
  • Queen's Jubilee Hall
• Dates:
  • Opened 1888. Date of first use not known.
  • 1888 - Design/Construction:
    • T.L. Banks & Townsend - Architect
  • 1897-1900 - Alteration: reconstructed after explosion (architect unknown)
  • 1927-1930 - Alteration: reconstructed after fire (architect unknown)
  • 1963-1970 - Alteration: façade rebuilt (architect unknown)

Current owners

Graves (Cumberland) Ltd currently own the building and have planning permission for 5 years to replace the theatre with retail and residential units. Graves own many different assets across Cumbria including cinemas, bingo halls and in the past they owned and ran a number of theatres.^[2]

SAVE Workington Opera House logo.

The future of the theatre

The Workington Opera House is now under threat of demolition to be replaced with retail units and flats.^[3] The Save Workington Opera House group are fighting to have this building made available to the town of Workington as a working civic theatre that the community can be proud of.^[4]

Specifications

• Capacities:
  • Original: 1,330
  • After 1950: 1,219
• Listings:
  • Grade not listed
• Stage type:
  • Proscenium
• Dimensions
  • Stage dimensions:
    • Depth: 9.14m
    • Proscenium width: 11m
    • Height to grid: 14m
    • Orchestra pit: Original, for 16 musicians^[5]

References

1. "The Opera House, Pow Street, Workington, Cumbria". arthurlloyd.co.uk. Retrieved 2011-04-02.
2. "GRAVES (CUMBERLAND) LIMITED". Companies in the UK. Retrieved 2011-04-02.
3. "Civic trust backs plans to demolish Workington's Opera House". News and Star. Retrieved 2010-04-06.
4. "Save Workington Opera House". Workington Opera House. Retrieved 2010-04-06.
5. "Opera House (Workington)". Theatres Trust. Retrieved 2010-05-02.

External links

• workingtonoperahouse.co.uk
• OperaAction.co.uk
• Opera House (Workington)-Theatres Trust
• The Opera House, Pow Street, Workington, Cumbria

Coordinates: 54°38′38″N 3°32′39″W / 54.6438°N 3.5443°W