Picture house restoration

The £2.8 million contract follows news that the venue has secured a National Lottery Heritage Fund grant with match funding from Leeds City Council to secure its future.

Renowned for its history and architectural prominence, Hyde Park Picture house opened at the beginning of World War One. It survived the advent of sound in the movies and remains an iconic independent cinema, screening the best films from around the world.

The major revamp is to include conservation works to the external façade, expansion of the foyer and the creation of a second cinema room in the basement, underneath the main auditorium. Whilst modern facilities will be installed, much of the heritage features will be retained and restored, including the gas lamps thought to be the only lights still in operation in a cinema anywhere in the world.