The Picture Playhouse

The Picture Playhouse is a pub in Bexhill-on-Sea, East Sussex, England, operated by the national pub company J D Wetherspoon. The building has a long and varied entertainment history: it was a well-known cinema officially opened in 1921 by the Duchess of Norfolk, later converted in part to a bingo club and an antiques market, with its circle becoming the Curzon Picture House. In 2005–08 it had a final lease of life as the Redstack Playhouse theatre/cinema, after which it stood abandoned before being brought back into use as a Wetherspoon pub. Today it trades at 36/38 Western Road, Bexhill-on-Sea, TN40 1DY, offering the standard Wetherspoon food and drink menu, real-ale festivals, seasonal menus and app-based ordering. As a Wetherspoon house, it is part of J D Wetherspoon plc, the UK pub group founded in 1979 and floated on the Stock Exchange in 1992. The pub's name and heritage make it a local landmark, and its history is documented on the Wetherspoon website alongside other pub histories.

The building at 36/38 Western Road, Bexhill-on-Sea, began as a well-known cinema called The Picture Playhouse, officially opened in 1921 by the Duchess of Norfolk. Western Road itself had been mostly residential in late Victorian times before developing into one of Bexhill's main shopping streets. In 1974 the cinema's use changed: the stalls were turned into a bingo club (which later became an antiques market), while the circle became the Curzon Picture House. The venue had a final lease of life in 2005–08 as the Redstack Playhouse theatre/cinema, after which it remained abandoned. It was subsequently brought back into use as a pub operated by J D Wetherspoon, which documents the building's history on its website. The pub now trades under the name The Picture Playhouse, retaining the historic name of the former cinema. As part of J D Wetherspoon, it benefits from the chain's national practices, including twice-yearly real-ale festivals, seasonal menus and app-based ordering. The Wetherspoon group itself was founded in 1979, when the first pub opened in Muswell Hill, north London, and became a public limited company in 1992.

• 2008

  Venue abandoned after the Redstack Playhouse closed.

• 2005

  Final lease of life as the Redstack Playhouse theatre/cinema (2005–08).

• 1974

  Stalls converted into a bingo club (later an antiques market); circle became the Curzon Picture House.

• 1921

  The Picture Playhouse cinema officially opened by the Duchess of Norfolk.

• Building brought back into use as a J D Wetherspoon pub named The Picture Playhouse.

A value-focused, heritage-site pub within the J D Wetherspoon national chain, offering affordable food and drink in a restored historic cinema building.

• Autumn beer festival ales

  A 12-day festival in October featuring 30 real ales, including five from international brewers.

• Christmas menu

  Festive food available from 12 November to 31 December (excluding Christmas Day).

• Spritz cocktail range

  A choice of nine classic and fruity spritz recipes.

• Hot honey Chicken Bowl

  Southern-fried chicken strips tossed in a sticky honey glaze.

1. 1The Picture Playhouse - J D Wetherspoonjdwetherspoon.com
2. 2History - J D Wetherspoonjdwetherspoon.com
3. 3The Picture Playhouse - J D Wetherspoonjdwetherspoon.com
4. 4About us - J D Wetherspoonjdwetherspoon.com
5. 5Picture Playhousewikidata.org