Hull’s Grade II listed National Picture Theatre on Beverley Road will open on Wednesday 16 September following a major restoration project to bring one of the city’s most significant wartime heritage sites back into use.
Originally built in 1914 and designed by Runton and Barry for the De-Luxe Theatre Company, the cinema entertained audiences for nearly 30 years until it was severely damaged on 17 March 1941 as a result of a Luftwaffe air raid.
During an evening showing of Charlie Chaplin’s ‘The Great Dictator’, the sirens sounded and the Picture House took a direct hit. The cinema’s auditorium was destroyed, and the rest of the building was reduced to ruins. Without time to get to the air-raid shelter, film watchers took cover in the entrance foyer. Remarkably, all 150 audience members survived.
Once described as the “last surviving civilian bomb‑damaged building” in the UK, the National Picture Theatre still bears the historic scars of the 1941 raid.
Now, 85 years after that fateful night and thanks to funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, Hull City Council, The UK Shared Prosperity Fund and the National Civilian World War II Memorial Trust (NCWW2MT), the Grade II listed building has been given a new lease of life. The reopening marks the first time the former cinema will be brought back to use since the bombing.
Local contractor Hobson & Porter led the restoration works, using original materials and traditional techniques to reflect the building’s 1914 design. Key works include:
- Stabilisation and restoration of the red‑brick façade
- Installation of sympathetic new period-style lighting
- Conservation of remaining wartime fabric.
The open space where the auditorium once stood, originally seating 1,050 people with a balcony, has been transformed into a flexible education and community events space. It will also serve as place of reflection, enabling visitors to learn about the experiences of Hull civilians during the Second World War.
The project has long been championed by the National Civilian World War II Memorial Trust, which has tirelessly campaigned to preserve the site and share the stories of those who endured the Blitz in Hull – then Britain’s second most bombed city.
Councillor Jackie Dad, Hull City Council’s Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Culture and Leisure, said: “It is great to see the restoration now complete. The National Picture Theatre is an incredibly important part of Hull’s wartime history, and its preservation ensures that future generations can understand the profound impact the Second World War had on our city.
“For the first time, this site will become both an educational facility and a place where people can come together to reflect and remember loved ones. The careful work undertaken here not only protects a unique heritage asset but also creates a new community space that honours the resilience of the people of Hull. I am proud of what has been achieved and look forward to seeing the public engage with this remarkable landmark once it opens.”
Helen Featherstone, Director, England, North at The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: “We’re thrilled to have supported the restoration of the National Picture Theatre thanks to money raised by National Lottery players. The sympathetic and painstaking restoration ensures that the important wartime heritage of Hull and the history of this striking building will live on, as the cinema enters its latest act as a valuable community space for the city.”
Hilary Byers, a trustee of the National Civilian World War 2 Memorial Trust, said: “We are very much looking forward to welcoming people to see the work that has been successfully carried out to preserve the remains of the National Picture Theatre on Beverley Road. It has been a long journey getting here and we are very grateful for all the help that The National Lottery Heritage Fund, the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, Hull City Council and Historic England have given us over the years, as well as the continuing help that today’s volunteers are giving on the site.
“This cinema, which suffered bombing on 18th March 1941, and the audience all remarkably survived, is a reminder of the experiences that civilians went through during World War 2. We want this to be national memorial to the contribution that civilians made to the war effort, as wardens, firefighters, rescuers, first aiders, carers, messengers, food providers and in many other ways. We hope people of all ages will be inspired by the site to find out more about the roles of civilians in World War 2 and will enjoy the opportunities presented by the site to hold events and community gatherings.”
Now complete, the National Picture Theatre will open for organised historical events, educational visits and special public activities.