It had been constructed on the site of the former Cheltenham Pump Room, as visitors to the town seeking the famed spa water, had declined in the latter half of the 19th century.

[3] Kursaal is a German language word which translates literally as “Cure Hall,”[5] but was used for grand receptions and special occasions.

A popular form of building in late 19th-century European spa destinations, the concept never caught on in the United Kingdom.

[6][7] In the 1950s, like many theatres converted into a cinema but looking for alternative uses, the venue helped in the formation and growth of Harrogate as a conference and exhibition centre.

It is an adjudicated competition among a dozen amateur Gilbert & Sullivan troupes, with professional performances given on the weekends, given in the Hall.