NEHL - Marlborough Crescent was home to one of Newcastle's lesser known cinemas & boxing halls - King's Hall.

The building was originally the Marlborough Crescent Chapel, but later named the Drysdale Hall for the SS. Mary and James' Catholic Young Men's Society (bit like the YMCA) for recreation and a meeting venue. They originally had a small room on Mosley Street from 1880 with a membership of around 30, but eventually grew and grew requiring new premises. First the corner of Clayton & Newgate Street, then here when they had a member of about 260 from 1886. From 1893, it became a Roman Catholic Junior School, and then a boxing hall.

By 1908 however, plans were submitted for this hall to be turned into a cinema. It was renamed the Kings Hall and opened on New Years Eve. It was extensively remodelled and redecorated to incorporate 900 seats with 2 showings a night. It was, at first, fairly upmarket, though within a few years it was relegated as a secondary venue in the city. Political meetings started to be held here as well as lectures, and from 1911 James Lowes held boxing promotions in the venue

It was further revamped in 1930, with a new sound system for talkies and a more modest capacity of 342. Only a year later however it was totally destroyed by fire, and due to lack of insurance it was not rebuilt. Though plans were made to build a new cinema, it never occurred. Nothing was built here was well over half a century until this single floor bathroom showroom.