Queens Hall Minehead

The Queens Hall was designed by Minehead architect W.J.Tamlyn as a centre piece to the seafront development and now stands out as one of the most prestigious buildings in Minehead. The building was a gift to the town by the Minehead builder J.B.Marley.

The Queens Hall, Minehead

It was opened on Whit Monday 1914 and from then touring theatre companies and live music filled the Queens Hall. In 1930 it became the first place to show talking movies in Minehead. It then became an amusement centre, but now it has been carefully restored back to its former glory into a pub and live music venue. The old pictures adorn some of the walls to keep the spirit alive of the old building. Opened in 1914 with stage productions alternating with films. The building is of local brick from the owner’s works (he was also the contractor), with Bath stone dressings. Three bays; the central bay with entrance has a large arched window at first floor level. Fascia is elegantly decorated at attic level with part-balustraded parapet topped with four urns and ornamental gable carrying a motif with QUEEN’S HALL. An iron and glass canopy covered the entrance until 1996, when it was destroyed by storms (the hall also suffered flood damage).

Teak doors originally led to a marble vestibule with pay-box and cloak room and stairs to the balcony. Both stalls and balcony were well raked; there were two private boxes (since removed), one at either side of the proscenium. The auditorium still has its barrel-vaulted ceiling and elliptical proscenium arch with ornamental cartouche. There is an ornamental frieze band with brackets carrying the ceiling ribs. The stage with dressing rooms, storage space, backstage crossover is thought to be intact.

This one-time concert hall built by Minehead architect W J Tamlyn opened to the public in 1914 and over the next 15 years played host to a lineup of world-class and distinguished performers including the dancers Pavlova and Nijinska entertainers George Robey and Vest Notley and a host of visiting West End Shakespearian operatic and review companies

Records reveal that Cabinet ministers of the day addressed audiences of 1000 and it was also used for boxing tournaments and to screen the first talking pictures within six months of it's opening. 

www.queenshall.info

Contributed by: Jim Atkinson, Jane Cullum