Historic former 2,000-seat Smethwick cinema damaged by fire to go under the hammer
A Grade II-listed former cinema in Smethwick, which was gutted by fire two years ago, is to go to auction this month with a guide price of £250,000.
The former Gaumont cinema on Windmill Lane will feature in the BTG Eddisons Property Auctions live stream auction on 28-29 October.
The Art Deco building opened in 1930 as a 1,950-seat cinema and has been a prominent Smethwick landmark for almost a century. It later became a bingo hall and then the Victoria Suite banqueting venue before closing. A major fire tore through the vacant building in May 2024, causing extensive damage and the collapse of its roof. It now requires substantial redevelopment.
The property has around 19,000 sq ft of internal space over four levels, with vehicle access on both sides, and backs onto the Windmill Shopping Centre. It is around four miles east of Birmingham city centre and less than a mile from Smethwick town centre.
Carl Finch, director at BTG Eddisons Property Auctions, said: “This is a really striking building with a long history in Smethwick, but there’s no disguising the scale of the work needed after the fire.
“It’s a challenging property, particularly given its Grade II-listed status, but it’s also a substantial building in a prominent location, with almost 20,000 sq ft of space.
“It will be fascinating to see what sort of interest it attracts and, ultimately, what a new owner decides to do with a building that has been such a well-known part of the local landscape for so many years.”
The property could be suitable for a range of future uses, subject to the necessary planning consents and listed building requirements.
The former cinema will feature in the BTG Eddisons Property Auctions live stream auction on 28-29 October, with a guide price of £250,000. For further details and bidding information, visit www.btgeddisonspropertyauctions.com.
BTG Eddisons Property Auctions is a national property auction business formed through the unification of the regional auction brands Pugh, SDL Property Auctions, Mark Jenkinson and Network Auctions. It offers a wide range of residential and commercial property and land at auction to buyers across the UK.