A Brief History

The Lion Ballroom was originally built as part of the Lion Hotel in 1840. It opened in 1843 with a celebration dinner and a new year ball for 1844, attended by local dignitaries. The original hotel was a coaching inn called The Red Lion and owned by Thomas Woodhouse. Its main revenue being as a stop-off-point for coach and horses, the time coinsiding with the dawn of the railway era. The Hereford Journal 18th October 1843 reported in fairly gloomy terms.

"Within the last week the only coach that was left on the road from Bristol to London ceased running. The railroad monopoly is now complete".

In 1851, the Lion Hotel went bankrupt. The Hotel and the Ballroom eventually closing in 1854.

The ballroom survived, although housing various buisnesses including an ironmongery business. In the later years it was used, in part, as storage for Leominster Farm Supplies. The owners of which (John and Stuart Hinton) oversaw the restoration of the room to its former glory, reopening as a Grand Ballroom in 1997.

Although the date 1843 is historically in the Victorian Era the ballroom can be seen as "in the style of" a grand assembly room more typical of the Georgian age. It is a grade II listed building.

The main ballroom is 51 feet by 22 feet, allowing seating capacity of around 120. There is a superb Steinway Grand Piano set at one end of the room, and there is also a raised dais or stage of approximately 6 feet by 22 feet.

It now provides a space for classes such as keep-fit, dance, choral rehearsal etc. There is a full annual programme of concerts, films, exhibitions etc. The room is also for hire for other people to put on similar events, as well as parties, wedding receptions, conferences etc.

The Lion Ballroom has become well-known as an arts venue in Leominster.

Recent Developments

Now available is the new green room or ante room, this room has been developed to provide extra space for the ballroom when larger events are held. It is also suitable for smaller events such as meetings