Royal Hall Harrogate

The Royal Hall is one of the buildings that best tells the story of Harrogate's great spa era.

Opened in 1903 as the Kursaal, it was conceived in the European spa-town tradition: an impressive entertainment venue for the visitors who came to Harrogate to take the waters.

Architect Robert Beale won the original competition to design the building, but the scheme was substantially developed by celebrated theatre architect Frank Matcham, who designed its richly decorated interior.

Today the Grade II* listed hall remains one of Harrogate's architectural landmarks, with its ornate auditorium, sweeping decorative details, stained glass and distinctive cast-iron and glass features.

The Royal Hall's story has not always been straightforward. Serious structural problems led to its complete closure in 2001. A major restoration followed, and the building reopened in 2008 after a £10.7 million project brought the Edwardian interior back to life.

It remains a working venue today, hosting concerts, theatre, entertainment and events as part of the Harrogate Convention Centre complex.

For anyone interested in Harrogate's history, architecture or its development as one of Britain's great spa towns, the Royal Hall is worth looking beyond the stage itself.