UPON its original opening over a century ago, it entertained the thousands of people who flocked to the town for its rejuvenating spa waters.
Later, it hosted troops stationed in the town during both World Wars of the last century. Its even welcomed prime ministers, suffragettes, actors and comedians. And today it still stages productions put on by various local theatre and entertainment groups.
But, it seems Llandrindod Wells’ famed Albert Hall is also home to some lesser known individuals from the paranormal world too.
Haunted Rooms – an international ghost hunting events company – is inviting the Powys public to join them at the iconic spa town venue on a ghost hunt. The company is offering guests the chance to experience a paranormal investigation in the historic theatre, with five dates on offer over the course of the next year.
Their team will guide you on a full night of ghost hunting, with access to their paranormal equipment throughout the evening. Guests will participate in seances, Ouija Board sessions, glass divination and more – and the first date is perfect as it falls just a few weeks after Hallowe’en!
“On a ghost hunt at the Albert Hall Theatre, you will take part in a host of vigils and experiments as we try to make contact with the active spirits that are attached to this historic building,” said Wesley McDermott, co-owner of Haunted Rooms.
“We have the whole of the theatre for an entire night of paranormal investigating, including areas otherwise off-limits to visitors, including the backstage dressing rooms, the old orchestra pit under the stage and the balcony, where dark figures have been seen lurking.”
Your evening will last from 8pm-2am and tickets are priced at £35 per person. You must be 18 or over to participate.
Dates available are Saturday, November 19 this year, as well as March 25, May 13, September 9 and October 20, 2023.
Believed to be genuinely haunted by several ghosts, visitors to the Albert Hall have reported seeing apparitions of soldiers and dark shadows. Loud bangs and whistles are also heard regularly.
Due to a rise in tourism during the late 1800s, people flocked to Llandrindod for its storied healing spring waters, this presented a pressing need for a bigger venue than the adjoining chapel.
Local Presbyterians raised £2,000 to construct a new church hall, which opened in 1896.
In 1905, the chapel next door was rebuilt and the Albert Hall’s basement was converted into a church schoolroom, with the pulpit of the 1870 chapel moved to the hall.
As tourist numbers continued to explode due to the town’s natural spas and healing waters, changes were made to reopen the hall as a commercial theatre in 1922.
It was known as one of the premier venues in Mid Wales, welcoming a host of famous names, including British suffragette founder Emilline Pankhurst and two Prime Ministers, David Lloyd George and Anthony Eden.
Four thousand men from the Royal Army Medical Corps during World War I were billeted in the town, and the hall would be used as an entertainment venue for them on most nights. Troops returned to the area in 1939 as World War II raged on, with many of the troops who took to the stage becoming household names.
So, is it feasible that some may never have left?
“You will join our friendly, experienced team taking part in various experiments and seances, as well as having complete access to our range of paranormal equipment throughout the evening,” added Wesley.
“We keep our groups small so you have a much more personable experience, with little chance of being interrupted by other groups or suffering noise contamination.
“Your evening at the Albert Hall is a real paranormal investigation; we leave out the fluff, we do not have actors and we don’t fake activity.
“Do you have what it takes to take part in a lone vigil in one of the creepy backstage dressing rooms or in Ouija Board sessions where the dark figures have been seen lurking?
“Our team can’t wait to welcome you to this incredible building and to share a night of ghost hunting that you’ll remember forever.”
Haunted Rooms has exclusive access to the theatre for each event. For more information on them and to book, visit https://www.hauntedrooms.co.uk/ghost-hunts/albert-hall-llandindrod-wells.
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