Palace Cinema

The Palace Cinema stands on Yorkersgate in Malton, North Yorkshire. It was built in the 19th century as a corn exchange for Charles Wentworth-Fitzwilliam, the 5th Earl Fitzwilliam. The building is made of ashlar stone and designed in a neoclassical style. Its main frontage has five bays with a central portico of Corinthian pilasters. The interior once housed a large trading hall for corn merchants. The cinema opened in 1915 as the Exchange Cinema after conversion from a corn exchange. Major changes in 1934 added a new entrance, balcony, proscenium arch, and Art Deco stained glass. The building was later split into multiple screens, with the latest upgrade in 2023 installing full fibre broadband for film screenings. It has hosted public events and speakers over the years, including MP John Grant Lawson in 1899. Visitors today find a three-screen cinema with a historic Art Deco interior. The original portico and stonework remain visible on the exterior. Inside, stained glass windows show dancing figures, and the balcony overlooks the main screen. The ground floor once included a shopping area, now part of the cinema’s entrance. The building’s neoclassical design and later adaptations make it a distinctive landmark in Malton.