Bridport Leisure for Sale
Situation:
The Bridport Electric Palace provides a unique opportunity to purchase a fully restored and fully operational art-deco theatre and cinema. With its beautiful original interior, it is one of only a handful of 1920s theatres that are still operating in the UK (outside London) and was recently listed by the Financial Times as one of the “most breath-taking cinemas in the world”1.
Standing proudly in the heart of Bridport, the Palace is one of Dorset’s most treasured cultural landmarks which is now offered for sale as a thriving going concern, with established goodwill and a full future programme of events, including film, comedy, live music, the spoken word and theatre.
The Palace is arranged behind a two-storey street-facing frontage and, at street level, the entrance and foyer are accessed via a wide arcade walkway leading to the cinema/theatre complex beyond. Either side of the Palace entrance are two street facing retail units, with two beautifully restored residential flats above (each with their own separate street facing access), that are also offered for sale either as a whole with the Palace, or as separate lots.
The properties sit in the heart of the picturesque West Dorset town of Bridport (in an area of outstanding natural beauty (AONB) close to Dorset’s Jurassic Coast, Lyme Bay and the Chesil Beach, only 5 miles away. Positioned prominently on South Street, within the town centre, the properties occupy a highly desirable and accessible location surrounded by retail, leisure and hospitality amenities.
Bridport is a bustling and vibrant market town, with its famous street market, arts-scene and antiques quarter, located approximately 15 miles to the west of the county-town of Dorchester with its regular rail connections to London. Bridport has a history of rope making and is now a gateway to the Jurassic World Heritage coastline at nearby West Bay. The town hosts an excellent selection of independent shops, as well as supermarkets, hotels, pubs, restaurants and cafes, and numerous arts and music events throughout the year, including the acclaimed Bridport Literary Festival and “From Page to Screen” film festival (both mainly hosted at the Palace), as well as Dorset Arts Week. There is also a thriving twice-weekly street market offering locally sourced vegetables, cheese, meats and other artisan foods, clothes, hardware and antiques.
Note: 1. Published by the Financial Times on 19 March 2026
History:
In 1926 a local brewing family took the courageous and enterprising step to build an opera house in Bridport. A new venture in every way, but particularly because it was powered by electricity, a rare commodity for many at the time. Because electricity didn’t arrive in the town until 1929, the building needed to generate power from its own “engine room”, allowing the people of Bridport to experience the “new age of cinema”, as well as opera and other stage and music shows.
The doors first opened almost 100 years ago, on 14 June 1926, to a packed audience of over 500 people and the building was appropriately named the “New Electric Palace”. It has been operating almost continuously ever since, originally showing only silent movies until “talkies” arrived in Bridport in 1931 (only three years after they’d arrived in London). Whilst other regional theatres and cinemas have floundered, the Palace has not only survived but flourished, sitting at the heart of the community ever since.
For the last century, the Palace has been a cornerstone of West Dorset’s cultural life, evolving into a vibrant multi-arts venue that draws audiences from far beyond the town. Today, it hosts a broad programme of film, comedy, live music, the spoken word and theatre, as well as special events including festivals, weddings and private parties.
The Palace is the largest theatre for almost 20 miles and has, for some years, played host to film and literary festivals, and glittering premieres, developing a reputation for bringing the all-time greats in film, comedy and music to West Dorset. It also sits at the heart of local performing arts activities and local performing arts groups, serving as both a creative hub and a beloved community destination.
In recent years, the Palace has benefited from a comprehensive and sensitive programme of refurbishment, ensuring that its historic charm is perfectly complemented by modern comfort and high-quality presentation. The property is now offered to the market in outstanding condition and presents an exceptional opportunity to steward one of the South West’s most atmospheric and culturally significant venues into its next century.
LOT 1 - Bridport Electric Palace
“One of the most breath-taking cinemas in the world”
LOT 2 - Two retail units
Situated at 35 and 35a South Street are two impressive and recently refurbished retail units that blend contemporary styling with the original art-deco design features to add character and distinction. Positioned on South Street, within the town centre, the properties occupy a highly desirable and accessible location surrounded by retail, leisure and hospitality amenities, either side of the entrance to the famous Bridport Electric Palace cinema.
Both retail units have recently been refurbished to an exceptional standard and now provide high quality retail accommodation, with large street-facing glazed shop fronts and return frontages. Both units are currently let under standard internal repairing commercial leases with existing occupiers trading as a cafe and bar, and as an interior decorations shop.
Both retail units benefit from their own individual entrances from the street, and both units have the use of an accessible WC located within common parts (shared with the Bridport Electric Palace).
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