Skip to main content

Grand Casino (Pavilion)

283

A typical seaside theatre of its date. Small rectangular auditorium with segmental tunnel-vaulted ceiling, lunette windows, panelled side walls and flat floor. Segmentally-arched proscenium with Baroque plasterwork enrichment. Shallow stage without fly tower. The circle is now divided off and serves as a restaurant. In 1974 the whole building was in a poor condition and there have been many alterations to interior and exterior which have resulted in the loss of some of the original plasterwork.

The long, low façade to the Promenade is in Cornish granite. A five bay Tuscan colonnade between two squat, square towers, each with an oeil-de-boeuf window in the upper stage. The towers were originally capped with copper cupolas but these were replaced in slate in the 1970s. Large doorways with open segmented pediments carried by Atlantes. The interior is an amusement arcade, a large area consisting of the original auditorium plus foyer extending the width of the building to a depth of 8.2m (27ft) and taking in a room, stage right 12.8m (42ft) long and 3.7m (12ft) wide. The restaurant area stage left contains some original doors. Balustrades and glasswork have been partly restored.

There is also a series of architects drawings of the original 1912 building on display.

Built / Converted
1912
Dates of use
  • 1912 - 1972
Current state
Extant
Current use
Converted to other use (amusement arcade)
Address
Promenade, Penzance, Cornwall, England
Website-
Further details
Other names
Pavilion and Winter Gardens
Events
  • 1912 Design/Construction:
    F G Drewitt
    - Architect
  • 1912 - 1972 Use:
  • 1919 Owner/Management: Pavilion Ltd
Capacities
-
Listings
  • Listing
    Not listed
Stage type
Rake
Building dimensions: 98ft wide frontage x 96ft deep
Stage dimensions: Depth: 16ft 6in
Proscenium width: -
Height to grid: N/A
Inside proscenium: 60ft
Orchestra pit: None