Assembly Rooms

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.