Palace Cinema and Flanking Shops
PALACE CINEMA AND FLANKING SHOPS, 35, SOUTH STREET
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1386804
- Date first listed:
- 29-Apr-1999
- List Entry Name:
- Palace Cinema and Flanking Shops
- Statutory Address:
- PALACE CINEMA AND FLANKING SHOPS, 35, SOUTH STREET
Location
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Images of England Project
- Date:
- 2004-05-20
- Reference:
- IOE01/12140/04
- Rights:
- © Mr Derek Beauchamp. Source: Historic England Archive
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1386804
- Date first listed:
- 29-Apr-1999
- List Entry Name:
- Palace Cinema and Flanking Shops
- Statutory Address 1:
- PALACE CINEMA AND FLANKING SHOPS, 35, SOUTH STREET
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
Location
- Statutory Address:
- PALACE CINEMA AND FLANKING SHOPS, 35, SOUTH STREET
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- District:
- Dorset (Unitary Authority)
- Parish:
- Bridport
- National Grid Reference:
- SY 46625 92771
Details
SY 4692 BRIDPORT SOUTH STREET
(East side), Bridport
1/10006 Number 35,
Palace Cinema and flanking shops
GV
II
Cinema, formerly the Electric Palace, and opera house, with pair of shops to front. 1926 for the Palmer brewing family. Steel frame clad in brick on land-locked site, roof not seen. Cinema entered down passage between shops in two-storey front range, which opens to form forecourt under glazed canopy. Cinema with stage, single small balcony and small staircase foyer. EXTERIOR. Six bay front, the central two bays projecting slightly under slightly raised parapet over passage entrance, and with continuous cornice band. Casement windows to first floor. Shops have angled fronts to street and passage, retaining original leaded upper glazing, and corner columns on deep plinth. Passage with segmental arch, terrazzo flooring incorporating the words 'PASSAGE ENTRANCE' and arrow, with queueing rails and gates at rear. Cinema has four pairs of doors set between square columns under dentil moulded cornice, and external paybox, an unusual feature in Britain. Rest of facade obscured by glazed roof linking it to shops. INTERIOR. Foyer, now with internal kiosk, has terrazzo floor and staircase with lincrusta balustrade and timber handrail leading to first floor balcony. The foyer is remarkable for its collection of 1930s murals, by George Byles, a pub sign painter for Palmers, and now a unique example of a semi-vernacular form of decoration once common in semi-public buildings of this period. Hanging lights also an original feature. Auditorium with barrel-vaulted roof and giant pilaster order on side walls. Urn moulding in tympanum over stage end. Balcony with two rear boxes, and moulded swag decoration on balcony front. Projection facilities, unusually, in box under balcony. Full stage facilities with dressing rooms, curtains and clock. The front areas of seating are little altered. Included as a rare and remarkably little altered example of a 1920s'cinema, with a unique collection of contemporary murals in the foyer. There was originally mural decoration also in the auditorium, but these have been covered over with paint. The building was originally erected for dual use as a cinema and opera house for the Palmer brewing family, who wanted to bring opera to Dorset.
Listing NGR: SY4660692779
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
- Legacy System number:
- 474203
- Legacy System:
- LBS
Legal
This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.
Map
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 12-Jun-2026 at 10:33:41.
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