OLYMPIA ROLLERDROME/BALLROOM - GARDEN ST

The Olympia Gardens

The Olympia Theatre

The Olympia Cinema 1934-1939

Cromer Rollerdrome / The Olympia Ballroom / The Olympia Cromer 1947-1974

Built in ?? [year required] The Olympia was an enclosed, open air garden with a small stage. It had deck chairs, servered afternoon tea and put on light entertainment on the stage when it was open during summer months. A roof was later added and the venue advertised as The Olympia Theatre. In 1934 the lease was taken on by Victor E Harrison who turned it into a cinema. It is belived that this is when Mr Norman Troller first worked at the venue he was later to run. It is said he would often run movies between the Olympia and the Electric Picture Palace Cinema in Sheringham (Later known as The Assembly Rooms and now the Masonic Hall c2015)

The cinema closed at the outbreak of WWII but never reopened as a cinema. In 1947 the running of the venue was taken on by Norman Troller and his wife Hilda. It was used as a rollerdrome and for bingo but as The Olympia/Olympia Ballroom became the hub of town activities during the beat boom when Norman booked all the top artists of the era to play there. He was extremly kind and supportive of local acts, many who have not forgotten his kindness in helping them with gigs and equipment.

The venue closed in 1974 but was used after this time as a spice warehouse and an auction room. In the early eighties the property was bought by the Budgens supermarket group with the idea of demolishing the building to make a car park for its store in High Street.

In [date require] 1984 the Rollerdrome was open for the last time over three nights and raised £800 for the Cromer Canival committee. On the final night an engraved decanter and bottle of whiskey was presented to Mr Troller for his hard work. The event though was slightly mared by the stealing of some of Norman's memorablia from the foyer.

The venue was demolished in 1985 and is now the Budgens supermarket car park.

Unconfirmed: Once used as a Rifle Range

Mediography:

Rollerdrome fans enjoy final fling UP08/06/84?