Grand Central Hall was opened in 1905 as the Central Hall of the Liverpool Wesleyan Mission, replacing Renshaw Street Unitarian Chapel. Built to an Art Nouveau design by Bradshaw and Gass of Bolton, the new building had a capacity of 3,576 people, and was also used from its opening until at least 1944 as the New Century Picture Hall cinema. From 1933 to 1939 the hall was the home of the Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra while the Philharmonic Hall was rebuilt following a fire.