10/08/2015
The original Tudor Clock, the centre piece of the upstairs bar in what since 1930 has been the Tudor Cinema or to give it its correct title, the Tudor Super Cinema, due to its size, layout, design and the fact it had the leading edge sound system of its era, made by the American monopoly Western Electric.
By way of a technical argument it could be said that as the existing lease for the building is still for 'The Tudor Cinema', its name lives on, if only by way of title.
During its history the building has lived and witnessed an incredible period, the reference to 1930 being somewhat illusory, as it was built around 1846. During that time it has been a Military Riding School, the Head Quarters of the 2nd West Yorkshire Yeoman Cavalry and the Volunteers, a circus, a theatre and music hall featuring concerts, bazaars and public meetings, a cinema and more recently in its current form as a nightclub.
At 170 years of age this makes it one of the oldest buildings of it's type in the world, for example more than 50 years older than the London Hippodrome, a building with which it shares a common link by way of both its past and its planned future development.
The building is currently owned by Heineken UK Ltd, the UK's leading cider and beer business who, in association with Hellfire Ltd of High Wycombe, are setting about re-investing in the property. Heineken's objective is to return the property to its former glory as Scottish and Newcastle did in 1998 when they first acquired the premises, whilst Hellfire are setting about establishing a new entertainment venue.
This page is set up to inform the public of the plans and to allow them to share in the experience as the project develops and unfolds.
