History of the theatre

Long before actors trod the boards, the building began life as The Market Hotel. It served as a cozy, lively stop‑over point for local farmers traveling to sell cattle and buy provisions at the nearby Corn Exchange.  

Recognising the town's appetite for entertainment, the Simpkins brothers purchased the hotel and boldly extended it into the rear yard to build an auditorium. 

The doors officially opened as a cine-variety theatre! A typical, buzzing evening out featured live variety acts and dramatic melodramas, interspersed with silent film screenings and global newsreels.

To keep up with the global boom of the film industry, the venue was converted into a full‑time, permanent cinema.  

The Simpkins family sold the venue to County Cinemas, which was swiftly taken over by the iconic Odeon Theatres Ltd in 1937.

Always a trendsetter, the venue became the very first cinema in Winchester to show the revolutionary new widescreen "CinemaScope" films. 

The venue changed hands one last time as a picture house, bought out by the Star Group of Cinemas. 

In June 1974, the cinema closed its doors, and the owners applied for a demolition order to replace the historic building with modern commercial offices. Refusing to lose a piece of Winchester's heart, the City Council secured a Grade II listing for the building. Within two months, passionate local residents rallied to form the Winchester Theatre Fund with a mission to bring live performance back to the city.

Through tireless community fundraising and the support of local trusts and the City Council, the Winchester Theatre Fund bought the building back for £35,000, launching an ambitious restoration plan.

After four long years of darkness, the lights flickered back on in November 1978. The building officially reopened its doors, proudly bearing the name Theatre Royal Winchester.

The theatre expanded by purchasing the two adjoining buildings on Jewry Street. Over the next few years, a new circle bar, a dedicated Box Office, new dressing rooms, and an extended stage and fly tower were built to accommodate larger touring shows.

High‑tech projection facilities were re‑installed, turning the Royal back into a dual theatre and beloved 'picture palace.'

Cinderella graced the stage, marking the first professional pantomime to be produced at the theatre in 71 years — sparking a festive tradition that continues to delight families today!

The theatre closed for a major multi‑million‑pound refurbishment funded by the National Lottery, local councils, and generous private donations. The project painstakingly restored original plasterwork and the beautiful proscenium arch, while adding a striking contemporary curved glass wall inspired by the west window of Winchester Cathedral.

The grand restoration was completed, and the venue reopened as the beautiful, accessible, 400‑seat auditorium audiences love today. 

Hat Fair, the UK's longest‑running festival of outdoor arts, officially joined forces with the theatre's operating trust.

We threw a city‑wide celebration to mark our 100th spectacular year as a theatre.

The charity officially rebranded as Play to the Crowd, bringing Theatre Royal Winchester, Hat Fair, and Playmakers under one unified umbrella. To celebrate, the front foyer underwent a stunning refurbishment to create an inclusive, highly accessible, and sociable Bar area.

The Covid‑19 pandemic forced a temporary closure, but an outpouring of local donations through a critical fundraising campaign allowed the theatre to safely reopen with socially distanced shows by December.

A vibrant exterior public art installation titled Inside Outside: Art on the Street by Pea Green Design Studio was unveiled, splashing colour across Tower Street to bridge the gap between the theatre and the community. Simultaneously, a complete transformation of the stalls toilets took place, boosting inclusivity, enhancing accessibility, and cutting down interval queues.