Abbeydale Picture House, a popular live performance and events venue in Sheffield, has reportedly announced its immediate closure.
It has operated as a live performance venue, hosting music, comedy, film, and theatre for the last seven years, despite the owners having a 25 year lease on the building.
Josh Greaves, a local resident said: “I’m personally very disappointed, it’s been around since I was a very young child, and I have a lot of fond memories of the place.”
Over the last few years, the building fabric has deteriorated greatly, with missing roof tiles and broken flashings causing damage to the historic plasterwork of the barrel vault ceiling within the auditorium.
This has resulted in the building being unsafe for use for the last two years and it was added to the Theatres at Risk Register earlier this year.
Despite numerous efforts to restore the Grade II listed building, the operation of the venue has become unviable due to numerous setbacks.
Mr Greaves said: “I think it’s a shame, because it’s a huge place with a lot of potential, so there’s a great sadness in my heart to see it go.”
The historical building was most recently leased to Creative Arts Development Space (CADS), a Sheffield-based charity committed to revitalising local buildings for the arts, cultural and creative industries.
Since its ownership, CADS maintained a programme of live performances within the building, hosting live music and events within the stage house – the ‘Fly Tower’.
It also opened a ‘speakeasy’ bar in the front of house area of the building.
Mr Greaves added: “The people in charge need to put their money in the right place and make sure that traditional places with the real Sheffield essence are protected and maintained”.
The picture house was originally opened by the Lord Mayor of Sheffield in 1920 as the largest and most luxurious cinema in Sheffield.
This closed in 1975 and was subsequently used as an office furniture showroom until 1991, leaving the building vacant for a decade.
In the early 2000s, the Friends of Abbeydale Picture House restored the auditorium and built a new stage, reopening the theatre in September 2008.
ShefNews contacted Abbeydale Picture House for comment but has not yet received a response.