It’s even captured the attention of a property vlogger…
Hull’s Tower Ballroom with its iconic “onion domes” is up for sale. The former Edwardian cinema built in 1914 has an asking price of £545,000.
Listed on Rightmove, the sale of the Anlaby Road premises attracted the attention of a property vlogger who does video tours of odd and quirky properties for sale across the country. A reel posted by Housing Horrors on Facebook mentions the unusual photos that have been uploaded on the property site and talks about the “really cheap drinks on certain nights” that used to be a feature of the venue.
“I’m imagining people had some pretty wild nights here. I’ll be very curious to know why the owners are selling it – you’ve got your bar at the back there, you’ve also got the little dance floor here.
“It’s an ideal live music venue, 8,600 square foot, separate first-floor bar.” The post mentions the Tower’s 1914’s origins and how the exterior is “still very in keeping with that era”.
“It’s quite a nice, beautiful building, but I’m imagining some pretty wild nights happened in this nightclub.” The post asks for local people to share any funny stories from the nightclub or from nights out in the local area.
The Tower was transformed in March 2022 by the then-owners who wanted to bring popular acts and live music to the area. They were hoping to provide more representation for Hull’s gig scene and book lots of bands and artists, as well as host club nights, Hull Live reported at the time.
But four months later, the Tower Ballroom informed staff of the venue’s closure and that upcoming gigs would be moved to alternative venues. David Burns – Burnsy – formerly of BBC Radio Humberside, shared the news of the closure and his disappointment via X, expressing that they were tough times for a lot of businesses in the industry.
The venue has been an Anlaby Road landmark for more than 110 years, being built as a cinema with a capacity for 1,200 people. It became a nightclub in 1983, running under several names over the decades, with the Nineties and early Noughties proving to be the club’s heydays.
The Tower is advertised as an “ideal live music venue” with a ground-floor club, a first-floor bar and a roof terrace, with a 5am licence and a 1,200 capacity.
The description states: “Built in 1914 this wonderfully ornate former Edwardian cinema was once one of the most impressive and important cinemas of its day. Designed by H Percival Bings, the Faience tiled facade contains an abundance of features and is topped by mosaic onion domes.
“The cinema closed in 1978 before reopening as a club in 1983. It benefitted [from a] £1.2m refurbishment in 2013 which brought it back from derelict to licensed use.” It notes that the pictures are from when the club was operational and do not represent the appearance now the premises are closed.
VAT will be charged in addition to the sale price with agents in the sale Fleurets Ltd saying anyone interested in the property should call to be sent a full brochure.