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Built in 1911 the Electric Palace in Harwich is one of the oldest, purpose-built cinemas to survive complete with its silent screen, original projection room and ornamental frontage still intact. In 2006 the main weight-bearing metal beams that supported the frontage, foyer and projection room were deteriorating. As a result the building was put on the English Heritage Buildings at Risk Register and an appeal was launched to save the cinema.

As well as financing the essential repairs, HLF's grant funded a part time education officer who forged links with local groups and schools, delivered an education programme on the cinema's heritage and broadened its use within the community. As a result the future of the building has been secured and the Electric Palace now operates as a community cinema and venue for small scale theatrical and musical events.

• to secure the future of the listed building;
• to enable the site to continue in use as an entertainments venue; and
• to ensure accessibility for people to appreciate their heritage.

• Repairs to the deteriorating concrete floor and metal support beams have conserved the historic elements of this building, secured its future and enabled it to be removed from the At Risk Register.

• A part time education officer was recruited who delivered a range of educational activities to school, arts and community groups. For example, over 60 local primary schoolchildren saw their 23 short animation films screened at the cinema; 60 members of the Cinema Theatre Association viewed local author and film-maker David Cleveland’s show 'Going to the Pictures in 1912'; and pupils from a Primary School in Clacton experienced what it was like to be cinema-goers 100 years ago with a demonstration of a magic lantern slide projector.
• The Trust is a local volunteer led organisation which has maintained and run the cinema since it re-opened in 1981.  Several volunteers were recruited to assist the Education Officer with the learning programme and the organisation of the workshops.
• On average 100 people participated in the monthly activities comprising of two community groups visits and two workshop/events.
• The Palace is now used as a venue for community projects and its opening hours have been extended.
• The local community is now encouraged to put forward ideas for cinema events and are involved in making them happen.
  Students and local youth groups have been able to use the facilities to enhance their own film and theatre studies and performances.
• More information on heritage has been added to the existing seasonal guided tours attended by between 500 and 1,000 visitors a year.

• The Trust has recognised the need to undertake a building survey of the cinema regularly (every five years) and to put aside sufficient funds for future repairs or improvements.
• Early pre-application discussions with Grant funding bodies such as HLF are very useful in ensuring that applications are directed into the most appropriate channels from the outset.

• The Electric Palace has been at the heart of Harwich's community for nearly 100 years and will continue to be so for many more years to come thanks to its restoration.
• The Palace is now used as a multi-purpose venue, meeting a broad range of community needs and aspirations.
• To further promote the cinema's heritage an outline of the Palace's history together with a photographic record of the restoration work is available on the Harwich Electric Palace website. 

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