Empire Picture Playhouse
Marine Parade,
Great Yarmouth,
NR30 2EJ
No one has favorited this theater yet
Opened on 1st July 1911, the Empire Theatre was designed by architect Arthur S. Hewitt as a purpose-built cinema and the exterior was clad in a vitreous terra-cotta material in a ‘free Renaissance’ style.
Operated as a cinema until the late-1960’s when it switched to bingo. Continued to screen late night shows after the evening bingo session finished and morning cartoon shows between 10am and 1pm during the summer season May to September. Had a short period during the late-1980’s early-1990’s as a full-time cinema again when the ABC Regent closed to become bingo club.
By 2006, it was in use as a nightclub known as Zen, but this closed in September 2008. The Empire Picture Playhouse is a Grade II* Listed building.
Just login to your account and subscribe to this theater

Recent comments (view all 11 comments)
A set of photographs that I took of the Empire in 2003:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kencta/317861036/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kencta/317861352/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kencta/317861861/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kencta/317862701/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kencta/317863068/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kencta/317863474/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kencta/317863949/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kencta/317864964/
Another view of the building that I took in 2003:
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/318443058/
Another exterior photo taken in 2003:–
http://flickr.com/photos/12494104@N00/104625062/
A couple of interior pictures of the Empire here:–
View link
View link
Here is a March 2005 photo.
This is an October 2008 photo.
A 2009 photo is here.
This is a photo from June of 2008.
Zen nightclub closed Sept 2008 owners looking for new use.
Two more interior photos from 2003:–
CEILING
BALCONY
Seems there is a chance that the Empire might be restored in the near future, use uncertain.