The Ritz

The Ritz in Burton upon Trent is a former cinema turned nightclub and live venue. It stands on Guild Street in the town centre, its Modernist brick façade facing the street. The building replaced an earlier theatre and concert hall on the same site. The front of the 1902 theatre survives at the rear of the current structure. Inside, Art Deco plasterwork and Crittall windows show the cinema’s 1930s origins.

The cinema opened in 1935 and operated under several names until 1999. It was designed by John Fairweather and Thomas Jenkins, local architects with Scottish cinema experience. Annie Orton created the interior Art Deco designs, while George Legg contributed plasterwork friezes. The building became a Grade II listed structure in 2007.

Today the venue is The Complex, hosting live music and club nights. The original auditorium and stage remain, now adapted for performances. Upstairs rooms once used for cinema offices serve as event spaces. The surviving theatre front adds a touch of older Burton to the modern interior.