Theatre Royal

The Theatre Royal, formerly known as the Lucky Seven Bingo Club, is a Grade II* listed building located on Westgate, built in 1894 by Frank Matcham of London with F.W. Denholm and Co. as the builders. This former opera house features three storeys and has a gable end facing the road, constructed of thinly rendered brick with classical and Jacobean decorative motifs. An entablature rests on the keystones of windows that once extended through the first and second floors but are now blocked except for their heads. Busts of composers are displayed in scrolled roundels beneath serpentine open pediments. Lesenes rise through the gable end to ball finials, and there is a large plaque with raised letters stating "OPERA HOUSE." The entrance has been modernized, and the west part of the building, which is two-storey and domed, is made of red brick and contains offices in front, with dressing rooms and storage behind.

Inside, the auditorium features a circle and gallery, the latter retaining original seating despite the presence of a later projection room in the center. The balcony has a bombe shape and is adorned with rich plasterwork, while the lower balcony displays scrolls of foliage, fruit, and flowers, with altered stage boxes that have shell head niches. The upper gallery features marine motifs, including paired dolphins in waves. The ceiling is decorated with eight oval medallions surrounding a central rose. The proscenium arch remains intact, although two floors have been added in the stage area behind. Fly platforms are located on both sides above the stage, equipped with ranges of cleats for the manual haulage of cloths. A stage-manager's box is positioned at stage right, featuring a numbered cloth plan in blackboard paint and a hinged cast iron bracket, possibly for a prompt copy. The ancillary accommodation is basic, but there is a notable Art Nouveau fireplace in the first-floor office. The building is graded for the quality of decoration in the auditorium.