The building, aside from the basement bar, has stood empty since February last year. Credit: True North Brew

Grade two-listed former cinema set for hospitality refresh

17 January 2025 05:33 Sally Gibson Comments (1)

True North Brew has purchased the Abbeydale Picture House in Sheffield and plans to spend two years restoring the building before opening it as a live entertainment venue.

The independent brewery, which also runs venues Forum and Riverside Kelham, bought the building after spiralling renovation costs for its current tenants, the Creative Arts Development Space, caused the building to close last year.

Meanwhile, the building’s basement bar, Picture House Social, will close in March before reopening after a two-month refurbishment.

The cinema opened in 1920 and closed in 1975. It was the used as a furniture showroom from 1991.

It was eventually restored and used as an arts venue from 2008, however in 2022 the auditorium was declared unsafe and unusable due to problems with the ceiling.

Kane Yeardley, owner of True North, said: “This is the biggest and perhaps the most challenging project we’ve ever undertaken, especially as the Picture House is grade two-listed; and we couldn’t be more excited.

“When we heard larger national companies were interested, it only strengthened our resolve to become its custodians.”