From Victorian market hall to Wales' oldest cinema

At the heart of Brynmawr stands a building that has served generations of local people: the Market Hall, opened in 1894 to replace an earlier market building from 1844.

The main market was held on Saturdays, while the hall also became a place for concerts, meetings, performances and community gatherings. The surviving historical record shows that by 1916 it was being used as a cinema and entertainment hall during the rest of the week.

A building that kept adapting

A new façade and projection facilities were added in the 1930s. Later changes reshaped the auditorium, and the former indoor-market space was adapted for library use while cinema and community performances continued in other parts of the building.

Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council describes the Market Hall as Wales' oldest cinema. Its story is especially valuable because it is not a frozen monument: it has continued to change with the needs of the town while retaining its place in Brynmawr's Market Square.

Explore the evidence and visit today

Read the architectural and use history in the Theatres Trust record, and use the Blaenau Gwent Council visitor page for current information. Together they distinguish the hall's 1894 opening from its documented cinema use by 1916, preserving the story without claiming that films were shown continuously from the first day.