There's a new venue on the block... Hello, Abbeydale Ballroom!

True North Brew Co. have been hard at work restoring Abbeydale Picture House to its former glory, with the help of early cinema expert Professor Vanessa Toulmin. The full restoration of the Grade II listed building will likely take a couple of years, as planning rules and heritage restrictions mean careful consideration must be made for every detail.

The True North team have been tackling it in stages, and the first stage to be unveiled will be the basement area—Abbeydale Ballroom. 

In its heyday the Picture House’s basement was a billiard hall and ballroom, and most recently it was cocktail bar Picture House Social and sister bar Shuffle Shack, but True North want to preserve elements of its glamorous past to make a modern space that combines past and present. The old ballroom/shuffle spot, bar, outside terrace, dining area and small cinema room will become one connected space. 

It will be a venue that’s not just food and drinks, but also an event space for gigs, DJs, live sport and plenty of pool (a callback to its billiard roots). A space where its 1920’s heritage meets modern-day cocktail bar and pool lounge. 

The pool lounge and dance floor won’t be the only nod to Abbeydale Ballroom’s past, but also its interior, which will have elements of art deco with a bold, modern design approach that will layer and blend with its restored original features. 

The founder of True North, Kane Yeardley, says, “this is where it really begins. Abbeydale Ballroom is the first space we’ll reopen—it sets the tone for everything that follows.”

And we certainly can’t wait to see what follows. To embark on True North’s journey to bring the iconic building back to life, follow @abbeydaleballroom on Instagram and like Abbeydale Ballroom on Facebook. 

The True North team will continue to share progress updates in the coming weeks, including sneak peeks of designs,  entertainment announcements and the all-important grand opening date—which should be in Autumn 2025. 

The countdown to the Ballroom has officially begun– and it’s going to be one hell of an entrance. We can't wait to see it!