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photo of the old Ritz
Add your memory of Weymouth Pavilion

 

Film still outside Pavilion
Watch the Pavilion Past film

 

Thanks to Local History Unit, Weymouth Museum and Weymouth and Dorset Local History Forums for this information.

cover of an old programme

Weymouth Pavilion 1920s - 30s

Pavilion tea rooms

During the 1920s and 30s Wheeler put on mixed bag of events including musical comedies such as No No Nanette, Shakespeare and even matinee performances of operatic arias. In 1924 the Weymouth Amateur Operatic Society performed The Mikado in the Pavilion.

In the 1930s, possibly because of competition from the Alexandra Gardens Theatre (which opened in 1925) and from changing public taste, Wheeler reviewed his operations at the Pavilion. He got the Town Council to agree to the adaptation of the Pavilion auditorium to enable him to show films. Thus as the Pier Pavilion it became a popular cinema in the town.

There was some additional land reclamation in either the 1930s or 1950s or both which extended this area to make it what it is today. Also around this time, the length was extended where there now stands a cafe. The most likely stone to be used in this reclamation is Portland Stone, though previous reclamations in the area were from the town's 'waste' and dredging. (The Hole where Cove Street now is on the Weymouth side of the harbour, and Alexandra Gardens on the Melcombe side).