Under pressure from rising overhead costs and the increasing popularity of the cinema and the introduction of television, the fifth Theatre Royal closed its doors on 30 June 1962. However, some critics of the developers who purchased the theatre have expressed doubt that this was the reason for closing the venue. Cecil Sheridan commented that "It's not television that's done it, you know. It's a matter of how much money you can make out of a square foot of property." During the final night on 30 June 1962, the theatre was sold out with a show entitled the "Royal Finale". Everything that could be taken away was sold off from the building, from the safety curtain to the ticket kiosks. The building was subsequently demolished and replaced by a twelve-storey office block, Hawkins House, which was the headquarters of Ireland's Department of Health until 2019.