Crumbling Prescot Grade II listed cinema to be restored

After the cinema closed, the building was used as a carpet warehouse before becoming a bingo club and then a church

Plans have been submitted to transform a Grade II listed old cinema back to its former glory.

The proposals submitted by Knowsley Council will involve the "reinstatement" of key features of the former Picture Palace in Prescot.

The building was remodelled into a cinema from two 19th Century townhouses in 1912 and closed in 1957.

It was acquired by the council in 2021 and is currently in a significant state of disrepair.

Plans include the demolition of four mid-20th Century extensions at the back of the building as well as extensive works to bring the front back to the condition it was in when it was a functioning cinema.

This would involve replacing the entrance, reinstating stucco render at the front of the building, recreating a large bay window and extensive repair work to existing features, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

According to planning documents, the renovation work will include the sign at the front of the building to display its full former name of the Prescot Picture Palace.

While part of the front will have to be removed due to its condition, the ornate detailing will be replicated during the renovation process to bring the front of the building in line with what it looked like when the picture house was operational.

After the cinema closed, the building was used as a carpet warehouse before becoming a bingo club and then a church. 

It was given Grade II listed status in 2021, in part due to its historical significance as a cinema during a "transition period" for picture houses.

Plans for renovating the building have been several years in the making as part of a £3.1m heritage-led regeneration programme bringing major investment from Knowsley Council and Historic England to a number of key projects in Prescot town centre.