Kier has been appointed by Sheffield City Council to restore the Grade II listed Adelphi Cinema and bring it back into public use.
Opened in 1920, the Adelphi Cinema was a thriving hub at the heart of the Attercliffe community in Sheffield, keeping people up to date on the latest news and local events during its time as a cinema.
The Grade II listed building operated as a cinema for nearly 50 years and survived bomb damage during the Second World War. It closed as a cinema in October 1967, becoming a bingo hall, with the building then operating as a nightclub from 1995 until 2000. In more recent years, the historic building has been used as a storage facility, before falling into disrepair.
Purchased by Sheffield City Council in March 2023 using Levelling Up funding, the refurbishment will see the building transformed into a mixed-use cultural space, including facilities suitable for leisure, arts, and music.
The Adelphi Cinema project forms part of a wider regeneration of Attercliffe including the building of 1,000 new homes at Attercliffe Waterside and the creation of the National Centre for Child Health Technology at Sheffield’s Olympic Legacy Park.
Kier Places, appointed by Sheffield City Council via the YORbuild construction framework, is now taking the first steps to transform the building, whilst retaining some of the original features, including the original art-deco frontage. The first stage of the project will see the building prepared for the transformation work to begin this Spring.
Cllr Ben Miskell, Chair of the Transport, Regeneration and Climate Policy Committee at Sheffield City Council, said: “Today marks a fantastic milestone in the long and storied history of the Adelphi Cinema, a moment when work will begin to bring it back into use for the benefit of the local community once again.
“This building holds a very special place in people’s heart in Attercliffe and rightly so, it was once a focal point. Our ambitions for it will see it return to being that focal point with the community at the heart of this project. The Adelphi Cinema is over a hundred years old and, once this transformation has been completed, will be around for many more years to come.”
Alan Smith, Kier Places area manager (North), said: “We’re delighted to be working with Sheffield City Council on this project, bringing this iconic building back to life. The first phase of the project has started, clearing all the waste out of the building and getting it to a point where the transformation can begin.
“A big part of what we do in Kier Places is about working closely with local communities whilst delivering on our sites. The Adelphi is an exciting project with the potential to have a really positive impact on the area and residents, and we’re looking forward to being part of the building’s new story.”
