Theatre Royal

Described as 'a handsome and well-appointed Theatre' the Theatre Royal Bournemouth opened in 1882, in the heart of the town in Albert Road. It cost £10,000 and seated 800, between stalls, dress circle, upper circle, pit, gallery, and private boxes. In 1887 it was converted to a Town Hall but re-opened as a theatre in 1892 after refurbishment.

During the Second World War years the theatre became a services club. It suffered fire damage in 1943 and was reconstructed. In 1949, it reopened as the New Theatre Royal. In 1962 July, the theatre was converted to the Curzon cinema and bingo club, and in 1971 'twinned' as the Tatler cinema club.

The theatre has a good stuccoed façade of four bays and four storeys with giant Corinthian pilasters embracing the upper three storeys. A casino now operates in the lower part of the theatre, whilst the (balcony) cinema closed in 1982 and became a nightclub in 2005. The grid area and flying system remain intact.