History of The Met
In 1892, building work started on the new ‘Public Hall and Market Place’ in Abertillery. The idea of a Market Hall in this location was not new: there was already a Market Hall there, which also hosted lectures, bazaars and concerts.
1892
It was no surprise then that plans were afoot to transform the building. By early 1892 the ‘Abertillery Market Hall, Land and Building Company Limited’ had bought the Market Hall. They developed plans to take down the old building and build a new hall on its foundations, designed by architect Alfred Swash.
1893
These plans resulted in a new Public Hall with a market on the ground floor, with a large room at the back for meetings and friendly societies. It was a good thing that sanitation and ventilation had been addressed, as items such as dairy produce and poultry were sold in the market; all without the benefit of refrigeration!
The hall on the first floor could accommodate 1250 people and was lit by a massive ornamental gas pendant.
The total cost for Abertillery’s new Public Hall and Market Place was £4000 and an official opening concert took place on Wednesday 6 September 1893, featuring a range of local solo singers, accompanied by a pianist and a harpist.
1900
On 17 September 1900 the ‘Public Hall and Market Place’ was re-named ‘The Metropole Opera House and Theatre’, which was celebrated with a grand opening night. This would bring more theatrical performances to Abertillery, especially when the ‘Abertillery Operatic Society’ was formed in 1916, who used the Metropole for their performances.
The Met did witness a number of incidents, such as an ‘affray’ on 8th December 1900 when stage carpenter George Moon allegedly struck local roofer James Ross with an iron bar, after a performance of ‘Under the Czar’.
An incident that could have been more serious for the building took place on 12 November 1907, involving Mr. J. Seaborne, the lessee of the ground floor Market Hall. When he opened a faulty gas stove there was an explosion, with ‘flames bursting full into his face’. Luckily he survived the incident with no long term damage.
1951
In 1951 the Abertillery Amateur Dramatic Society moved their performances to the Pavilion Theatre, confirming they would not return to The Metropole. Apart from markets taking place on Saturday mornings, The Met was largely unused and the building deteriorated. But, after restoration works by the council, performances returned to the venue.
In 1962 the Abertillery Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society came back to perform at The Met with their take on ‘Pirates of Penzance’. The Met also continued to be used for lectures, dances, cinema screenings and of course choral concerts, with Abertillery’s Orpheus Choir regularly performing at The Met.
21ST CENTURY
The building was renovated in 2006 at a cost of £1.4 million, which included the removal of the old ceiling to reveal the wooden beams, as well adding retractable seating and a new lift. One of the first performances after the renovation was ‘Summer Holiday’ by the Abertillery Youth Drama and Musical Society.
Aneurin Leisure Trust managed the Metropole’s operations from 2014, but The Met was closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic on 20 March 2020.
In February 2021, Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council announced that Awen Cultural Trust was to manage the operations of The Met, with staff continuing under the new management.