Carnegie Theatre and Arts Centre

Rock-faced stone exterior with ashlar dressings. Green slate roof with cupola. Theatre has plain barrel vault ceiling with hanging lighting box. Plain walls. Cameo effect on circle front. Rose and fruit design fibrous plaster on square proscenium arch with rounded corners. More fruit and flowers with cupid mask on plasterwork either side of arch. Lively Bistro area and good size bar. Financed by American steel producer Andrew Carnegie in 1904 as library and lecture theatre. Became a cinema until closure in 1961. Originally no real stage but house at rear incorporated in 1973 to form very odd stage, 6m deeper at one side. No flying. In 2008 improvements to the building included re-slating the roof and replacing windows. In 2010 a new flat roof was constructed over the cafe and refurbishment work resulted in the original ceiling in the Dance Studio being revealed. In 2011 a programme of major works was undertaken to refurbish the auditorium, public toilets and dressing rooms and the lighting control room to the rear of the theatre was demolished. In 2013 further refurbishment work developed the foyer and bar space and the original bricked up windows were opened up and restored.