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Work begins on cinema damaged in Blitz

BBC An aerial view of the theatre. At the front is the bomb-damaged facade with scaffolding. Construction workers are standing on wasteland behind, which is the space where the auditorium once stood. To the left of the theatre is a pub and a food store and to the right is a ceramics shop.BBC
The National Picture Theatre has been derelict since it was bombed by the Luftwaffe in 1941

Work to turn a derelict cinema in Hull, which was bombed during World War Two, into a national memorial and community events area has started.

The National Picture Theatre on Beverley Road was badly damaged during a German air raid in 1941.

Work to stabilise the remaining structure took place in 2020 and the latest part of project will see the replacement of windows, new lighting and work on the facade.

Hull City Council said it hoped the work would be complete by December.

A worker climbs a ladder among the ruins of the theatre. He is surrounded by scaffolding and bomb-damaged brick work.
Officials said they want the building to feel rustic to tell the story of what happened to Hull during the Blitz

Councillor Rob Prichard, portfolio holder for culture, said he was "delighted" to see the work get underway.

He said: "Once complete it will, for the first time since it was destroyed, enable visitors to access the building safely.

"There are so many stories within the National Picture Theatre that are of national importance, and to have the opportunity to give it the attention it deserves is fantastic."

Hilary Byers stands on site at the theatre. She is wearing a yellow hard hat and a high-vis jacket. Rubble and construction machinery are in the background.
Hilary Byers, from the National Civilian WW2 Trust, wants to educate people about the Blitz in Hull

Work at the site has already uncovered several artefacts, which have been buried under the rubble since the bombing 83 years ago.

They include tiles, shoes, bottles and ornamental mouldings.

Hilary Byers, from the National Civilian WW2 Memorial Trust, which has campaigned and fundraised for the restoration, said the latest development is "brilliant".

She said: "It has been so long to get to this point, but it's wonderful to see the scaffolding go up and the workers on site."

A rotten shoe and part of a blue decorative tile sit on top of a wooden pallet
Workers have already discovered artefacts in the rubble which will eventually go on display

The cinema, which was designed by architects Runton and Barry and built in 1914, was hit during a raid on 18 March 1941.

At the time, more than 150 people were inside, but no-one was killed or seriously injured.

The council said the cinema was the "last surviving civilian bomb-damaged building" from the period.

The authority added Hull was one of the worst-affected cities in the country during the Blitz and had to face air raids for longer than any other place in Britain.

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