The Albert Hall

The Albert Hall stands in Llandrindod Wells, a town in Powys, Wales. Built in 1896 as a church hall, it became a theatre in 1922 with an art-deco foyer added. The exterior, foyer and auditorium remain largely unchanged since then. The building was Grade II listed in 1985. Its early history is closely tied to the Ithon Road Presbyterian Church, which had about 100 members at the time. The hall played a key role during the town’s spa boom in the late 1800s, when up to 90,000 visitors came each year. It hosted Welsh-language church services and community events. During the First World War, 4,000 soldiers trained nearby and used the hall for entertainment. In 1923, after becoming a theatre and cinema, it reopened with a new Art Nouveau foyer designed by Owen Morris Roberts & Son. Today, visitors find a well-preserved Victorian theatre with original features. The auditorium seats 750 and retains its small balcony. A bar sits between the kitchen and a smaller hall. The building has modern heating, rewired electrics and improved facilities. Local groups now use it for performances, festivals and community activities.