Metropole Theatre

Opening in 1885 as the New Star Theatre of Varieties, it was described as being built of red bricks with ‘white facings’ (? stone dressings). It seems to have had two balconies. Having been refused a theatre licence, it opened as a music hall, but was radically reconstructed as a theatre in 1886. A contemporary description suggests that it had a ‘dished’ pit and stalls to improve sightlines at the sides and in the promenades. In 1903 it was elaborately redecorated but with no significant physical changes. Converted for movies in 1911 it probably had only sporadic live use afterwards. It ceased to advertise during 1939, was demolished in 1951 and a YMCA was built on the site.