County

The present auditorium is the relic of a building of c.1790 which started life as a church of the Countess of Huntingdon’s Connexion, became a piano showroom and was converted to the Picture House (ciné-variety) in 1913, incorporating cottages on the Berrington Street front. It is not known whether the fly tower was added at this time. By 1939-46 stage use was occasional only, but in 1946 it became a full-time repertory theatre. By 1957 it was a ballroom and further uses included roller skating rink and warehouse. It reopened as a cinema in 1962 but became a bingo house in 1964.

Six-bay asymmetrical rendered two-storey front; sandstone third bay slightly advanced with pedimented gable and a Venetian window over wide entrance; semi-circular headed windows with sandstone surrounds, imposts and keyboards; sashes with thin glazing bars, curved at head to form Gothic panes. Pitched slated roof.