Picturedrome Restoration

c. 2015

The Picturedrome on Canada Grove, one of the oldest purpose-built cinema buildings in England, was restored and reopened as a cultural venue in the mid-2010s. The building dates from the early twentieth century and was originally built as a cinema in the pioneer years of film exhibition, when purpose-built picture houses were a new architectural type. After decades of use as a cinema and subsequent closure, the Picturedrome fell into disrepair and faced an uncertain future. A community-backed restoration project secured funding to repair the building's fabric and fit it out as a live music and entertainment venue. The restored Picturedrome now stages gigs, comedy nights, film screenings, and community events, providing Bognor with a second cultural venue alongside the Alexandra Theatre at the Regis Centre. The building's period character, with its original facade, modest scale, and intimate interior, gives it a distinctive atmosphere that larger modern venues cannot match. The restoration was a significant achievement for the local community, demonstrating that historic buildings in the town could be saved, adapted, and given a commercially viable new purpose. The Picturedrome has become a popular venue for touring musicians and comedians on the south coast circuit, and its programme draws audiences from across the Bognor and Chichester area.