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THE Ritz began life as a public hall in 1882 when it cost £3,500 to build. It was used as a court, library, theatre and meeting hall and, in 1919, for the first time, films were shown there.

In the 1930s, it became a “proper” cinema when a balcony was created and it was able to house an audience of 500.

By 1971, when bingo began to threaten the world of cinema, the Ritz balcony was converted into two 75-seat screens and a bingo hall opened below.

During the 1980s, cinema audiences were still falling so, in 1991, the doors closed on the Ritz for what seemed to be the last time – until its latest reprieve.

• How the Ritz started out back in the 1880s

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County:  Derbyshire

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This article is from the Derby Evening Telegraph and is reproduced online here.