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Assembly Rooms

2872

The original Assembly Rooms was constructed in 1755, and stood for over 200 years until a fire caused damage to the roof in 1963, resulting in the venue’s demolition in 1971.
A competition was held to find an architect to design the replacement venue, which would house two halls able to accommodate a great variety of events. The competition was won by Casson Conder & Partners.
The Assembly Rooms is a modernist construction in reinforced concrete. It has generous foyer space with two bars and a coffee bar.
The Great Hall is a flexible arena style auditorium with a stage at one end and a total floor area of 640 square metres. The flat floored stalls can seat up to 600 on a combination of chairs and bleacher seating. The balcony surrounds the auditorium on three or four sides (depending on how the space is configured) and has fixed seating for up to 600. A proscenium stage can be created but there is no fly tower.
The Darwin is a smaller space with a total floor area of 315 square metres. It is flexible with no fixed seating and a variable stage size. The Darwin has its own foyer and bar. The foyer features an original Jacobean ceiling from a house which once stood on the site.
A fire in the plant room on the roof of the Assembly Rooms car park on 14 March 2014 resulted in the venue being shut. Derby City Council is currently considering whether to refurbish or replace the venue.

Built / Converted
1977
Dates of use
  • 1977 - 2014: Theatre and multi-purpose events venue
Current state
Extant
Current use
Dark (Theatre/Civic Centre)
Address
Market Place, Derby, Derbyshire, DE1 3AH, England
Website
Further details
Other names
-
Events
  • 1977 Design/Construction:
    Casson Conder & Partners
    - Architect
    Henry Humphries
    - Consultant
    acoustics
  • 1977 - 2014 Use: Theatre and multi-purpose events venue
Capacities
  • Capacity
    Current
    Description
    300
    Comment
    2015; Darwin, seated
  • Capacity
    Current
    Description
    500
    Comment
    2015; Darwin, standing
  • Capacity
    Current
    Description
    1200
    Comment
    2015; Great Hall, seated, proscenium arch theatre style
  • Capacity
    Current
    Description
    1742
    Comment
    2015; Great Hall, seated, in the round
  • Capacity
    Current
    Description
    2000
    Comment
    2015; Great Hall, standing (stalls), seated (balcony)
Listings
  • Listing
    Not listed
Stage type
-
Building dimensions: -
Stage dimensions: -
Proscenium width: -
Height to grid: -
Inside proscenium: -
Orchestra pit: -