Converted to other use (main building disused; basement, snooker hall) Abbeydale Road, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England A big cinema on a prominent corner site, built in 1920; Until being equipped for talkies in 1930, the silent movies were accompanied at first by an orchestra, later by a Clavorchester organ. Closed in 1975 it became an office furniture store, with the seats removed and the balcony partitioned off. The stage was also lowered at some time. Despite these changes it has been fairly described as ‘still one of the best preserved cinema buildings in Sheffield’. The exterior is faced with white faience. A round, domed corner tower with stained glass windows is set behind a balustrade. Original canopy now absent. The raked auditorium is subdivided horizontally but still has much of its original ornamental detail. The single balcony bows out into boxes on either side of the proscenium; panels and oval reliefs on walls; panel with Grecian figures over proscenium.

The stage house (35m x 9m deep) has a grid which extends only over the downstage half. A proposal to convert the building into a mosque failed. In 2004 a charitable company obtained a grant for a feasibility study aimed at restoring the building and reopening as a centre for performing arts and visual media. Dixon & Stienlet (Arthur Whitaker) (North Shields) - Architect 1920 Owner/Management: Abbeydale Picture House Ltd 1921 Alteration: ballroom with sprung floor added in basement 1928 - 1930 Use: 1928 Alteration: improvements to stage and dressing rooms 1930 Alteration: sound system added for talkies 1950 - 1975 Owner/Management: Star Group Original: 1800Later: by 1941: 1560 Grade II - 1989Authenticity is the aim for restaurant modelled on traditional Mediterranean tavern. Food is usually one of the highlights of a trip to any Mediterranean country, and there are few finer experiences than a flavour-laden feast in the sun. Dimitri's Greek Tavern in Abbeydale Road, Sheffield.

Special mixed grill for two. Sheffield might not boast the glorious weather of Greece, but the owners of Dimitri’s Greek Taverna are trying to recreate the highly social atmosphere of dining in their home country at their restaurant in Abbeydale Road.This is obvious from the moment you walk in the door, with decoration taken straight from the colours of the Greek flag. social shower curtain thinkgeekThere is blue everywhere, from the curtains to the tablecloths. lush decor anita gray shower curtainA mural of four figures in traditional Greek dress is painted on one wall and plastic vine leaves cover the ceiling. ceiling curtain track dunelmIt’s by no means the classiest decor, but it does give you a sense that you are somewhere other than South Yorkshire.We were welcomed with a smile by manager Dora Nearchon and given a table by the window. blackout curtain lining mothercare

A quick glimpse at the menu shows a range of dishes, from standards such as moussaka and souvlaki to more unusual options including exohico, an oven-cooked pork roll with mustard, tomatoes, peppers and cheese.virgo thermal blackout curtainsTo start we chose a spinach and feta filo pastry tart, and melitisana psiti - a baked aubergine with feta, onion, parsley, tomatoes, garlic, vinegar and olive oil.swish curtain track roller gliders Dimitri's Greek Taverna on Abbeydale Road in Sheffieldcurtain rod finials anthropologie The tart was fine, although the pastry was a little thick, but the aubergine was excellent, the vinegar and parsley giving a rich flavour.For our main we couldn’t resist the mixed grill, which arrived in a huge dish with two skewers hanging above it.

The selection was excellent, from pork and chicken souvlaki to sausage and pork belly.Everything on the plate was delicious and there was so much that we had enough for tea the next day. But to our dismay we did find a couple of hairs in the kofte kebab.Manager Dora apologised and explained the kebabs were made in the town of Kavala in Greece before being sent to Sheffield - like many of the ingredients used in the kitchen. She took our drinks off the bill and afterwards insisted such problems were rare, but if they did occur she was straight on the phone to her supplier.A complimentary pastry and syrup dessert rounded off the meal nicely and despite the hitch we were satisfied with a good meal for just over £30. Dimitri’s has gained plenty of friends since it opened in March - several customers were clearly regulars - and as long as you are not expecting fine dining you should come away feeling full and happy.“We want people to have an authentic Greek experience and taste,” said Dora.

“We want to give people a feeling just like being in a traditional Greek taverna.”Dimitris Greek Taverna - Facebook pageTHREE MORE TO CHOOSE FROM:The Greedy Greek, Sharrow Vale Road
Alyssum, Barber Road, Crookesmoor * Food news: Bringing old recipes back into fashion* Pub of the week: Horse and Jockey, 240 Wadsley Lane, Sheffield, S6 4EF A browser's paradise set a little back from Sheffield city centre, in both space and time. When my other half and I moved into our first house we made a vow that after years of rental-bland magnolia, cheap bedsteads and identikit self-assembly furniture we would never again buy anything from a Swedish Superstore. The odd meatball and the inimitable Billy bookcase aside, we’ve managed to keep this covenant due to the infinite variety of antique shops to be found in Sheffield. The six antiques centres and a score of independent shops spread over the Queens Road/Broadfield Road/Abbeydale Road triangle have been branded the Sheffield Antiques Quarter, with a handy pamphlet and website mapping out a browser’s paradise, a world away from the city centre.

The Grade II listed Heeley Bank Antiques Centre is worth a visit for its beautiful interior as well as its varied stock. Covered from floor to ceiling in exquisite tiles, it harks back to the Victorian age, when banking decor was more carved wooden booths than grey carpet tiles. Nearby, the generous proportions of Langton’s Antiques and Collectables allow for everything from some serious militaria (generally surrounded by a group of armchair Field-Marshalls) to vintage jewellery. I particularly love their collection of blue and white striped Cornishware, but can take or leave the lurid Lorna Bailey collectables.Chapel Antiques provides a showcase for French Affair, whose huge upholstered beds could make a chateau out of any Sheffield terrace, provided you can manoeuvre one up the stairs. It also provides a home for Take a Seat, an upholstery service which stocks plush fabrics in every shade, to reinvigorate chairs that are more shabby than chic. Next-door, the Sheffield Antiques Emporium is home to the '50s Funhouse, relocated from Langton’s along with its kitsch sideboards and colourful punch glasses.

Close by, a rail of sleek fur coats, debutant frocks and elegant silk scarves speak of Hollywood glamour. Over the road, the labyrinthine Sheffield Antiques Centre specialises in Bakelite railway signage and stylish garden paraphernalia, among its many other delights.A relatively new kid on the Abbeydale Road block is Vintedge, showcasing a considered collection of retro furniture, curios and second-hand vinyl, plus a vintage hair salon catering for all your kiss-curl and quiff needs. Vintedge is also home to craft beer shack the Hop Hideout. Further down the street, the intimate Honeysuckle at Home is a well-curated display of vintage homeware, from floral curtain fabrics to ornate glassware and '60s coffee tables. Across the road, Encore's covetable shelves of art history, music and philosophy books will keep you occupied far longer than you may expect from a shop so small. In marked contrast with these more selective outlets is Dronfield Antiques, so packed to the gunnels that only intrepid shoppers, patient enough to sort the wheat from the chaff and slim enough to weave between the stacks of furniture, need apply.