Savoy Theatre

The Savoy Theatre is a historic entertainment venue located on Collenna Road in Tonyrefail, Rhondda Cynon Taff, Wales. Built around 1914 as the Picture Theatre, it began as a small cinema with 560 seats and an 18-foot proscenium. Over the decades it operated under various names, including the New Cinema and the Savoy Cinema, and was later converted into a bingo hall and social club known as the Independent Savoy Bingo Club. After lying disused for about ten years, the building was purchased in October 2012 by Daniel Robertson and Hayley Taylor, who undertook a major conversion back into a theatre. Today the Savoy Theatre hosts a variety of live performances, including theatre, concerts, dance, and community events. The auditorium seats 207, and the proscenium stage measures 14.2 metres by 8.5 metres. The theatre's Grade II listed front facade is the focus of an ongoing restoration fund. The venue is a private enterprise, owned and operated by Robertson and Taylor, and serves as a cultural hub for the local area.

The Savoy Theatre in Tonyrefail, Wales, was originally built around 1914 as the Picture Theatre, a small cinema with 560 seats and an 18-foot proscenium. It is located on Collenna Road, just up from The Square, the town centre. From 1934 it was leased by Mr W.R. Thomas, who also ran the Empire Theatre in Llanbradach. Under his management it was known as the New Cinema, and films were booked through the Empire. By 1944 it had been renamed the Savoy Cinema, with seating reduced to 500. In 1947 management passed to a Mr T. Williams, and the cinema operated until around 1954, though it was still open in 1966. In 1967, Mr Thomas purchased the Savoy from Robert Pritchard, who owned the chapel and many other buildings in Tonyrefail. Around 1980, the Savoy was purchased by Mr Dennis Lloyd of Triple Crown Bingo and converted into a bingo hall and social club. It operated as the Independent Savoy Bingo Club until around 2002, when Mr Lloyd temporarily closed it for refurbishment. During that time, the ban on smoking in public buildings came into force and bingo declined in popularity, so Mr Lloyd decided not to reopen. The building remained disused for ten years. In October 2012, Daniel Robertson and Hayley Taylor purchased the building and began converting it back into a theatre, stripping out the bingo equipment. The auditorium now seats 207, and the proscenium stage measures 14.2 metres by 8.5 metres. The theatre's Grade II listed front facade is the subject of a restoration fund, with support from CADW.

• 2012

  Purchased by Daniel Robertson and Hayley Taylor; conversion back to a theatre begins.

• 2002

  Temporarily closed for refurbishment; not reopened due to smoking ban and declining bingo popularity.

• 1980

  Purchased by Mr Dennis Lloyd and converted into a bingo hall and social club.

• 1967

  Purchased by Mr Thomas from Robert Pritchard.

• 1947

  Managed by Mr T. Williams.

• 1944

  Renamed the Savoy Cinema with seating for 500.

• 1934

  Leased by Mr W.R. Thomas and known as the New Cinema.

• 1914

  Built as the Picture Theatre, a cinema with 560 seats.

A restored historic community theatre offering diverse live entertainment in South Wales.

Product categories. Theatre performances · Concerts · Dance shows · Community events · Venue hire

1. 1HOME | Savoy Theatre Tonyrefailsavoytheatre.net
2. 2THE HISTORY | Savoy Theatre Tonyrefailsavoytheatre.net
3. 3THE HISTORY | Savoy Theatre Tonyrefailsavoytheatre.net
4. 4Savoy Theatrewikidata.org