Warminster Athenaeum
The building was originally a literary institution with a large lecture room, a reading room, classrooms and a library. Lectures, entertainment, plays and concerts were held. From 1895 the building was owned by the Urban District Council. In 1912, Albany Ward leased the auditorium and converted it into the Palace Cinema which was also used for plays, operas and music. It ran for fifty two years as a cinema, presenting over 13,000 films. Most parts of the building closed after falling into disrepair in December 1964, with just a gentlemen's club remaining on the first floor.
The Athenaeum reopened after much restoration in 1969 as an Art Centre presenting an ambitious programme of arts; music, dance, cinema, plays, concerts and exhibitions. After falling into financial difficulty and liquidation, in February 1997, the building was rescued by a steering group who reformed the charity and reopened the whole building as The Athenaeum Centre for the Community in September 2000. The trust launched a restoration appeal, and by 2015 had already spent over £100,000 on the building, cleaning the facade, replacing the roof, and refurbishing the bar and function room. The Centre continues to host shows, plays, concerts, lectures and films.
References
- ^ Historic England. "The Athenaeum (1364433)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 19 May 2017.
- ^ "The Warminster Athenaeum Trust, registered charity no. 3961590". Charity Commission for England and Wales.
- ^ "Victoria County History: Wiltshire: Vol 8 pp132-134 – Warminster: Schools". British History Online. University of London. 1965. Retrieved 19 May 2017.
- ^ "Athenaeum (Warminster)". The Theatres Trust. Retrieved 19 May 2017.
External links
51°12′19″N 2°10′56″W / 51.2053°N 2.1823°W