Capitol Horsham

The Capitol Horsham is an arts and entertainment venue in Horsham, England. It began life as The Ritz cinema in 1936, housed in an Art Deco building with a 1,086-seat auditorium and a Compton Theatre organ. After periods as The ABC and the Horsham Arts Centre, a major refurbishment in 2002-2003 transformed the building into The Capitol, reopening in 2003 as a multi-functional venue with two cinema screens, a theatre, studio, gallery, meeting rooms, and a café. The venue celebrated its 90th anniversary on 13th June 2026 and is closed for refurbishment until November 2026.

The Capitol Horsham began life as The Ritz cinema in 1936. The building, designed in the Art Deco style with local materials, featured a 1,086-seat auditorium and a Compton Theatre organ. In 1937, Union Cinemas ran into financial crisis and it fell under the control of Associated British Cinemas (ABC), but the cinema retained its name as The Ritz. In 1967 The Ritz was re-named The ABC to give a clearer brand image. In the 1970s the cinema was added to ABC's list for disposal due to a decline in attendance. Horsham District Council acquired the site in January 1982 and continued to run it as a cinema until November 1983. In 1983, the former Capitol Theatre (originally in London Rd, then Medwin Walk) was due for demolition to make way for Marks & Spencer's so Horsham District Council decided to repurpose The Ritz into the Horsham Arts Centre. An elaborate conversion took place to provide both a 450-seat theatre auditorium and a 126-seat cinema screen. The venue reopened on 21st December 1984 and the new theatre space still retained much of The Ritz cinema's original art deco auditorium features. A major refurbishment in 2002-2003 transformed the building into The Capitol, reopening in 2003 as a state-of-the-art multi-functional venue. It now houses two cinema screens, a theatre, studio, gallery, meeting rooms, and a café. The renovations were focused on preserving the site's historical elements while adapting it for modern entertainment needs. The venue celebrated its 90th Anniversary on 13th June 2026 and is closed for refurbishment until November 2026.

state-of-the-art multi-functional venue

Product categories. cinema screenings · theatre performances · studio space · gallery · meeting rooms · café

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