The Palace is a former cinema and bingo hall, situated on the High Street in Ibstock, North West Leicestershire.

This delightful building still retains many of it’s original architectural features.

The building itself is acknowledged as a rare survivor of it’s era, built before the grand art deco cinemas of the 1920’s, providing the escapism of film to a rural community.

The Palace provides concert and theatre facilities as well as film and exhibitions; it is ideally suited for commercial hire as well as private functions.

Please look at the What’s on section on Letsgolocal or contact the centre for information about forthcoming events.

The Palace Community Centre, Ibstock, celebrates it 3rd Birthday

With the exception of a few years when the building stood empty, almost falling in to disrepair fifteen years ago, The Palace has been at the centre of Ibstock village for very nearly one hundred years.

After years of trying, and failing, to obtain financial help to restore the building, the local group of volunteers who formed the original Management Committee were almost at the point of calling it day and accepting what seemed to be the inevitable. The Palace would probably soon become a commercial warehouse or worst still a car-park!

However, the receipt of a grant from the Leicester Shire Economic Partnership was soon followed by financial assistance from The North West Leicestershire District Council’s Housing Renewal Area Funding; Leicestershire County Council; Ibstock Parish Council (the owners of the building) and David Wilson. The total of £220,000 was raised to achieve Phase 1 of the project and the restoration began.

Last month The Palace Community Centre celebrated its 3rd Birthday and is a great example of what a community can achieve.

Phase 2 of the restoration has now begun, with a new lighting and sound system, a portable stage extension and improved facilities. If funding is secured for the second part of phase 2, the plans include a heritage area focusing on Ibstock, additional meeting rooms and a community radio station.

The Palace was voted ‘The Best Social and Community Project’ at ‘The East Midlands Market Town Awards’ in 2007. This is a tribute to the dedication of the management committee, of ten volunteers (some of which have been involved in the project since it began), the group of approximately thirty dedicated volunteers and the much valued support of local people and businesses. The Community Centre is run entirely by volunteers.