History

The site of the King's Hall, now occupied by The Kings Hall Restaurant & Carvery, was first built on during the 1820s. Before then it was part of Morfa Swnd (Sand Marsh), part of the common land of the burgesses of the town of Aberystwyth. The burgesses, through the Corporation of Aberystwyth (then known as the Court Leet), fined people for building on their common land until just before 1800 when they began to lease plots of it to various individuals as building sites. Terrace Road appears as a trackway in a print of the town on 1797, but this map does not record any buildings on the terrace at this point in time.

The first buildings to be erected on Terrace road were built in 1800. The building initial took place on the South side of the terrace (the side currently occupied by Stars) with the site of the current Belle Vue being erected in around 1817. Around this time building began on the north side of the terrace (the Kings Hall side of the road). Plots were generally sub-let by the original leasee to individuals who then proceeded to build their homes on the plots. One such lease was granted in 1816 for the north side of the terrace, approximately 16 years after building had began on the southern side. These homes would have been terraced in design with a garden at the rear. House numbers 26-30 were situated on the current Kings Hall site. By the 1890's these homes were joined together to form the Waterloo Hotel. The hotel was the largest in Aberystwyth and by the early 1900's (possibly 1904) the front façade (what used to be the front of the 4 terraced houses) was completely rebuilt to give the impression that the hotel was a single building (instead of 4 adjoined houses). At the same time a cast iron balcony was also added. At this time the hotel only comprised of the original 4 terraced houses which were frontward facing onto the promenade. New extensions were built onto the building to extend the side along terrace road (running along the opposite side of the road to where Stars is currently located) and to the rear onto Bath Street (running along the opposite side of the road to where the Tourist Information office is currently located). See sketch drawings. Most of the photographs show the hotel after this series of expansions had taken place.

The site at this time was leased to the Morris family and they ran it as a Temperance Hotel (although residents could send out for a bottle of wine) and also a Hydro. The hotel offered both electrical treatments and sea-water treatments - both popular at the time.

In 1919, the whole building burnt down. Several photographs were taken during the fire, and more immediately afterwards. Some show bed linen hanging down from the balcony. It is said that the residents used these to climb down the outside to escape the flames.

The site remained vacant until the foundations of a new Hotel (The Casino) were laid in 1927, but this work was never completed and the site was repossessed by the Council and surrounded by hoardings. There were plans to convert it into a Winter Gardens but the site was rented by a Mr Tuson who promised to improve the amusements there in 1931, implying that there had been amusements located there during the 4 years since the repossession of the site by the council in 1927.

Plans for a new Municipal Hall on the Kings Hall site replaced those of a much larger hall, bandstand and arcade of shops which it had been proposed could be built on the beach at the end of Terrace Road. These plans were published in the Cambrian News in 1932, although there was some concern that it would become a glorified public house.

However, the proposals were agreed, and work started in 1933. The hall was unusual in a number of ways. It was of modern design; built of reinforced concrete and had a flat roof. The new hall was opened in 1934 and called the Municipal Hall and Palm Court but soon renamed the King's Hall after George V visited Aberystwyth in 1935.

The hall had a balcony and was capable of holding hundreds of people. There was also a large stage. On the front there was a ticket office with offices above. On the roof there was a Palm Court. In the basement there were various amusements including a bumper boat pond (replaced later by bumper cars) and 'Penny in the Slot' machines.

It soon became a popular place for plays including the Ardwyn Gilbert and Sulivan Operettas and generally took over some of the functions the Coliseum had performed for the College before 1932 including Gymnastic shows and as a venue for University exams.

It was a popular dance hall and sported a sprung dance floor. In later years it hosted some famous bands including The Rolling Stones, Fleetwood Mac, Led Zeppelin and of course….Tom Jones. The Hall also had a small orchestra during the season. The Kings Hall also became an important political venue with both Harold Wilson and James Callaghan speaking there.It also housed the Tourist Information Centre and later became a roller skating rink.

It was considered a fine example of 1930s architecture, but the reinforced concrete structure and flat roof caused problems. It was hardly used during the 1980s and fell into disrepair. The high cost of maintenance and the belief that the building had become structurally unsound prompted the decision to demolish the building. Demolition began in 1988 but took nearly 2 years. The steel rods reinforcing the concrete were twice the thickness that the engineers had predicted. Demolition was eventually achieved after many rounds of alternating between using a wrecking ball and heavy duty cutting equipment.

The Kings Hall is held in high esteem by a whole generation of people who lived in or visited Aberystwyth between 1919 and the early 1980's. For many the building held fine memories - here are just some examples:

Russell from Liverpool has been visiting the area for more than 40 years

"Kings Hall became a second home to me. I was first taken to Clarach Bay for our annual holiday at the age of 15 months. We always stayed in chalets, we have been back to the area every yearsince. I am now 43 and myself, my wife and two children went on the cliff railway in August."

Alun T Jones from Bridgend recalls the fairground attractions below the building:

"I remember the dodgems in the basement of the King's Hall, which was a wondrous place to a small boy. There were low pavement level windows that allowed a view of the basement from the outside. I remember Jimmy Leach and his Organolians performing both in the bandstand on the prom and in the King's Hall Theatre".

Geoff Thomas from Maesteg used to get free tickets to shows at the King's Hall:

"I remember spending two summer holidays in Aberystwyth when I was a child. At the age of six years old, in 1955 (doesn't time fly) and the following year as well, staying with my Mother's Aunty Voe who lived in King Street. I can't remember her surname, but she remarried after my Mother's Uncle died and her married name then was Collie. She used to rent rooms to some of the members of the band that used to play in the King's Hall during the summer season, so my brother, my sister and myself would get free tickets to the children's matinees held every afternoon.
The thrill of being called up onto the stage to 'help' the band by playing tambourine or gazoo or playing the snare drum while the drummer guided your hands with his remains with me now. Small beer, I suppose, for today's children but memories that have stayed with me for the last fifty years.
Other memories of Aber, riding up Old Consti on the funicular, walking down the other side to Clarach Bay, ice creams in the park, the once a holiday trip to Devil's Bridge, shopping in Machynlleth. Happy Days !"

Dylan from Cardiff has childhood memories of the King's Hall.

"I remember playing games in the arcade under the Kings Hall. Great days! Though there was always this feeling that the whole place was about to collapse on top of you. Which of course added to the sense of fun!"

Nick Kaptein from Alkmaar, Holland can recall his first visit to Aberystwyth and the King's Hall.

"In 1971, I visited Wales for the first time with some friends and went to "an evening with T.Jones" in the King's Hall in Aber. It was a great evening with dancing... I met 2 nurses there and it was the beginning of a friendship for life. Every year when possible, I come back to my second hometown - the one I've chosen.
In 1988, some time before they demolished the King's Hall, I took some pictures to make a drawing of it. I made a card of that drawing with the "paradise part" of Joni Mitchell's Big Yellow Taxi on it. Stupid - it's not good to use copyright words - I've never published that card. But Ian Gomm saw the drawing of the King's Hall, and asked me to do the artwork for his Rock 'n' Roll Heart CD... the Hall is on the back of the booklet and in a two tower version on the back of the case. So even in Tokyo and Nashville they know the King's Hall!"

Skateboarders may now hang out on the site where the King's Hall once stood but when John Dight was a lad growing up in Aber, roller-skating was all the rage.

"I used to go roller-skating at the King's Hall. The floor was great for doing sliding stops. The King's Hall was also where I saw my First Concert. If you can call it that. A punk rock band, that I can't even remember the name of, played there and a bunch of us went to see them. One of the band smashed the drum kit and another did a moonie from the top of a stack of speakers. I guess that made up for how bad the music was! I remember walking down the steps onto the quiet of the Prom, after the concert, being quite taken aback that such a thing could happen in Aber!"

C.D.Lloyd from Hereford has fond memories of childhood summers spent in Aberystwyth when the King's Hall was a focal point.

"I always remember the King's Hall from my childhood, on our annual holiday in the industrial fortnight that was known as 'Brummy time' because of the volume of visitors from the West Midlands. The King's Hall became a permanent fixture for visits, to descend the stairs to play on the penny arcade machines with my Grandfather - always a wonderful time, full of awe and excitement. I was saddened to see it being demolished but still come to Aber as often as we can, bringing my own grandson now to enjoy the splendour of this fine coastal town of sitting by the marina and eating fish and chips for tea!"

Nigel Holloway remembers the last days of the King's Hall.

"Though I don't remember the heyday of the hall I remember how we as residents were told it was unsafe and falling down.......Oh how I smiled when it took twice as long to demolish because it was built and re-enforced so well!"

After the demolition of the Kings Hall the site remained empty whilst applications were made to redevelop the site. Whilst this process continued the council utilised the space in an effort to ease traffic congestion in the town by turning the site into a car park.

Redevelopment work finally began on the site during 1991. The new development (to be called Llys-Y-Brenin) would comprise of a large modern building and an open public space. The building would be utilised for retail use on the ground floor and would provide private accommodation on a further 3 floors. The open public space would be paved and offer views over Cardigan Bay, with benches, sculptures and a public information point.

The modern design of the building proved to be a major talking point in the town as the development progressed. This debate even reached national news with opinion being split between those disliking the modern circular design in the midst of a classic Victorian terrace promenade front and those who felt that the building appeared as a 'breath of fresh air'. Either way the debate eventually subsided and the building has now become one of the more recognisable features of the Aberystwyth skyline.

The Kings Hall Restaurant and Carvery was opened in July 1998 and is now one of Mid Wales most popular eateries serving over 100,000 meals each year to a mixture of local people and tourists alike. During the day the restaurant serves a mixture of meals and snacks whilst at night offering a traditional Carvery menu.

Click here to go to our picture page where there are lots of photographs of the old Kings Hall and the Waterloo Hotel.

Images and historical reference courtesy of Ceredigion Museum Amgueddfa Ceredigion