Winding Wheel Theatre History

Originally built as a cinema in 1923, the Winding Wheel Theatre has seen almost a century of colourful life within its half-timbered mock Tudor walls. 

Here’s a quick run through the venue's history.

Silent movies

Opened on September 10, 1923, one of the first silent films to be shown was, appropriately enough, Buster Keaton’s movie The Playhouse. Designed for the Chesterfield Picture House Company by architect Harold J Shepherd, the Picture House was deliberately intended to be the most luxurious venue in town.

For over 50 years, it was a popular meeting place for generations of courting couples and film fans. Renamed the Odeon along the way, it even featured a concert organ on which Reginald Dixon – one of the UK’s top organists – learned to play.

But that wasn’t all the building had to offer: reflecting the glamour and glitz of the era, it also housed a ballroom with a stained-glass central dome in its ceiling and a restaurant.

Hard times

The venue fell into disrepair during the 1970s. The restaurant closed its doors, and the ballroom became first the Fusion Disco and then a bar. The Odeon closed in 1981, and the building stood virtually empty and unloved until the borough council took it over in 1987.

A new vision

Under the council’s ownership, the venue was transformed into a versatile concert, conference, and exhibition hall called The Winding Wheel. Unlike some refurbishments of the period, the work on the Winding Wheel preserved much of its original charm—the decorative ceiling in the auditorium, the use of oak, and the fold-down, cinema-style seats in the balcony.

And, of course, that beautiful domed ceiling and regal colour palette in the old ballroom, now used for various public and private events, from stand-up to summer weddings.

Looking to the future

The Winding Wheel Theatre, as it is now named, underwent another major revamp in 2018. The foyer was extended into the former optician’s next door to create a new café bar and information point.

A listed building since 2000, the main auditorium has hosted some of the country’s most prestigious shows, from Blood Brothers to Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. It’s also home to everything from one-night tribute acts and Saturday night dances to ballet, opera and even a beer festival.

Today, the Winding Wheel Theatre continues serving as Chesterfield’s showpiece venue.