Queen's Theatre

The Queen's was built as a Town Hall and concert hall for the Potteries, but was superseded in its administrative role by the Kings Hall, Hanley.

The front is faced in ashlar, the rear and sides in Accrington brick with stone dressings. The main façade is in three bays, the centre one recessed as a full height portico with Corinthian columns in antis and a full entablature and crowning balustrade, behind which is a heavy blind attic. The advanced flanking bays have elaborately framed oculi in their attics.

Foyer with white marble staircases at either end. Flat-floored auditorium with barrel-vaulted ceiling and single, bombé fronted balcony on three sides. Fibrous plaster enrichment on all surfaces. Rectangular proscenium with sharply contrasting plain treatment, presumably arising from comparatively recent interventions. The flat, shallow stage backs onto a street, and has limited flying height.

The side balconies are six rows deep, the rear balcony ten rows. Sightlines from the side balconies are strained, but sightlines from the flat floor have been improved by use of a bleacher unit.

The theatre closed in 1998 as repairs were required. This closure was shortly followed by part of the ceiling falling in. It reopened from 2003-2014 for occasional events, predominantly music, but is currently closed and urgent repairs are required.