A dozen members of the Bishop Monkton Local History Group enjoyed a private tour of Harrogate's Royal Hall today (Monday) learning much about one of the area's best-loved buildings.

Angela Pick, a Trustee of the Royal Hall Restoration Trust, led the group on a guided tour of the building, sharing a host of interesting facts about the history of the only surviving 'Kursaal' or 'Cure Hall' in the country.

Opened in 1903 and designed by the legendary theatre designer, Frank Matcham, the Royal Hall has hosted a wide range of events, mainly musical but also for many years, films and even wrestling. Among the biggest names to have graced its stage are Louis Armstrong and the Beatles.

The group also heard about how the Royal Hall was saved from extinction at the beginning of this century when it started subsiding. A multimillion pound fundraising campaign, in which the now King, then Prince Charles, was involved, enabled a full restoration of the building after six years of closure.

Among the more obscure facts the Group heard was the fact that, for the first thirty years of its existence, the Hall had no ladies toilets. Apparently, women needing to respond to the call of nature, had to use neighbouring hotels.

For more details about the Local History Group's activities, visit its website.