Historic site in Somerset, England
The Forum was built as an art deco cinema in Bath, Somerset, England, in 1934, and was designated as a Grade II* listed building on 28 May 1986.[1] The building closed as a cinema in 1969, and has subsequently been used as a dancing school, a bingo hall, a church and a large event space for concerts and stand-up comedy. Its main auditorium has 1,600 seats, making it Bath's largest event venue.
Building
The Forum was built by William Henry Watkins and E Morgan Willmott, assisted by A Stuart Gray,[1] at the cost of £80,000 (equivalent to £6,042,259 in 2021)[2] with a steel frame covered by Bath Stone cladding in a combination of art deco and neo-classical style. Inside the walls are brick with concrete floors, with large art deco candelabra lighting. Above the auditorium is a ballroom with a sprung floor and below it on the exterior of the building are shops.[1] The building was heated by radiators, but also by washed air, a novelty in the 1930s.[2]
History
The Forum initially sat 2,000 people and was opened on 19 May 1934 by the Marquis of Bath. It was used as a cinema until 1969, when it became a dancing school and bingo hall. The building is owned by Bath and North East Somerset Council, and from 1988 has been let on a 700-year term lease to Bath Christian Trust as the home of Life Church Bath, formerly known as Bath City Church.[3][4] It currently has 1600 seats, making it Bath's largest venue for events[5] and so is also used for concerts, performances and presentations.[6]
The Forum has undergone a programme of extensive renovations under the supervision of Stubbs Rich Architects.[3][6] In 2014, the Bath Christian Trust put together plans to convert part of The Forum's ground floor into a café which is now open.[5]
