Guide to Grand Opera House York

The front section of the current structure was officially opened on 28 October 1868 as a corn exchange. It was designed by George Alfred Dean in the Italianate style using red brick.

Following the acquisition of the former corn exchange and a neighboring warehouse by William Peacock, the building was converted into a music hall. Designed by John Priestley Briggs, it officially opened as the Grand Theatre and Opera House on 20 January 1902 with a performance of the pantomime Little Red Riding Hood.

In an effort to appeal to a wider audience, the venue was renamed from the Grand Theatre and Opera House to the Grand Opera House & Empire Theatre in 1903.

The theatre was acquired by FJB Theatres, a business owned by Frederick Butterworth, in 1945. It was later closed by the owner in 1956 due to the impact of the Entertainment Tax.

Ernest Shepherd acquired the theatre in 1958 and renamed it the S. S. Empire. He removed the internal raked seating and stage to facilitate its new use as a bingo hall and roller skating rink.

The Grand Opera House was formally recognized as a Grade II listed building on 28 February 1986, ensuring its architectural and historical protection.

Following acquisition by the India Pru Company in 1987, the theatre underwent a £4 million restoration to replace the raked seating and stage. The venue reopened on 26 September 1989 with a production of Macbeth.

The building was purchased by the Ambassador Theatre Group in November 2009 as part of a larger transaction involving multiple theatre venues.