The Theatre

The Theatre (also known as the Assembly Hall) opened in 1914 just before the outbreak of the First World War.

It was built as an adjunct to the Framlingham Constitutional Club (later re-named the Conservative Club, but mostly known as the Con Club).

For the 20th century the Theatre served Framlingham as a large social space: it was a venue for events as diverse as political hustings, tractor launches, fundraising parties and concerts. In the 1960s and 70s it was also a popular music venue and attracted well-known acts including the Kinks and David Bowie in their early days.

c.2000 the Theatre became an antiques centre. When threatened with residential conversion in 2020, two local architects stepped in and secured it in the hope of putting it back to community use rather than losing it. They have secured planning permission for it once more to be used as a creative, cultural and social space.

We hope first to secure and improve Framlingham’s Old Theatre for the long-term benefit of the community, and later to expand to include No.10 Church Street.

The artistic life of these buildings has huge potential to contribute to the development of Framlingham’s heritage, improving our town as a place to live and visit.

Activities held in the Theatre over the 20th Century included:

  • Travelling theatre companies

  • Variety entertainment shows

  • AGMs and general meetings

  • Concerts

  • Dances

  • Wrestling matches

  • Gala Queen Contests

  • Military boxing displays

  • Films: regular shows until the Regal cinema opened in 1939 (now closed)

  • Framlingham Amateur Dramatic Society (FADS) - biannual shows

  • Children’s entertainment parties

  • Lectures on agricultural matters

  • Whist drives (very popular pre WW2)

  • Flower and veg. shows

  • Jumble and general sales

  • Christmas parties

  • Military parades

  • Musical ‘At Home’ evenings

  • Auctions

  • Choral Societies

  • Annual dinners

  • Meetings in WW2 to discuss air raid precautions etc.

  • Mills Grammar School pantomimes and classes

Since the antiques centre closed in 2020 a growing programme of activity has been trialled and has demonstrated appetite for the creative re-use of the Theatre and 10 Church Street from local schools, artists and the community. Fram Arts hopes to take over and enhance this emerging vibrant arts programme.

So far events have been almost entirely in the summer months, limited by the current condition of the building and a lack of resources.

Fram Arts aims to purchase the building to embark on refurbishment and improvements which will enable a year-round programme and provide a space for music, performance and the visual arts.

Ultimately Fram Arts hopes also to acquire the old Con Club at No.10, as having both buildings will provide the charity with a secure income stream from rents and room hire in No.10 to support educational and artistic activity.