Reimagining and redeveloping one of Europe’s earliest surviving purpose-built cinemas to create a home for film with new cultural, creative and community uses.

The Paignton Picture House opened to the public on 16 March 1914 and continued in use as a cinema until the last viewing on 26th September 1999, following the opening of a nearby multiplex cinema.

Patrons included Agatha Christie, who would often visit, sitting in the Circle's row two, seat two. In many of her books, the 'Gaiety Cinema' is a reference to the Paignton Picture House. The building has been used as location for a number of films, including Agatha Christie's 'Ordeal of Innocence' (1984).

In 2013 a group of dedicated local people with a passion for historic buildings and the power of these assets to deliver regeneration came together to set up a Buildings Preservation Trust. The Trust’s vision is to create a community and cultural hub for Torbay, a place for entertainment, enjoyment and learning.

The project has secured over £4m funding, including £2.95m Cultural Development Fund, £1.25m Future High Streets Fund and early phase conservation works supported by Historic England and the Architectural Heritage Fund.

The foyers are stripped back to reveal an intricate mosaic floor and celebrate found materials. New openings create interconnected rooms for meeting and refreshment, supporting a socially and economically viable venue on the high street.

Original windows are reinstated in the auditorium to create both a blackbox venue and a naturally lit hall - a cinema, esports venue, performance space and lecture hall rolled into one. A new floor with an accessible slope allows all visitors to enjoy the stalls with improved sightlines. The balcony provides more generous seating and the historically rare private boxes are retained and refined, providing a diverse range of audience experiences.

The former projection room and offices on the second floor are made accessible with a new stair and lift, providing a new studio for learning and community uses, as well as meeting rooms and supporting facilities.

Competitive tender. First Prize. Opens 2026.