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Then in 1903 - There was a time when Middlesbrough could be proud of its architecture as illustrated by this picture of The Grand Opera House at the junction of Southfield Road and Linthorpe Road. Officially opened by Samuel Sadler MP in 1903, it cost £38,000 and occupied a site known locally as Swatters Carr which had been used for fairs and shows. There were nine shops incorporated in the building including an Oyster bar.

Although it was a popular venue for opera devotees, it finally bowed knee to the new exciting “movies” and was converted into a cinema - The Gaumont - in 1931. This cinema closed in 1964 and the building was demolished to make way for offices (pictured below). As to how the respective architectural designs compare, we will leave it to readers to decide. One thing is quite certain, we will never see buildings of such distinction erected in Middlesbrough again. 

This article originally appeared in the March 2000 issue of Now & Then Magazine