▁motor ised ▁fire ▁app li ances , ▁introduced ▁in ▁the ▁early ▁ 2 0 th ▁century ▁were ▁too ▁big ▁for ▁its ▁doors , ▁which ▁could ▁not ▁be ▁pract ic ably ▁extended , ▁and ▁the ▁fire ▁station ▁ceased ▁to ▁function ▁as ▁such ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 7 . ▁Between ▁ 1 9 1 7 ▁and ▁ 1 9 6 7 , ▁the ▁building ▁was ▁used ▁mainly ▁as ▁a ▁Church ▁Hall ▁for ▁the ▁neighbour ing ▁St ▁L uk es ▁Church . ▁ ▁The ▁original ▁design ▁for ▁the ▁conversion ▁to ▁a ▁theatre ▁was ▁by ▁O wen ▁Lud er ▁( l ater ▁to ▁become ▁President ▁of ▁the ▁Royal ▁Institute ▁of ▁British ▁Arch itect s ▁on ▁two ▁occasions ). ▁The ▁original ▁theatre ▁was ▁traditional ▁pro sc enium ▁arch ▁in ▁style , ▁with ▁a ▁fly ▁lo ft ▁requiring ▁the ▁removal ▁of ▁a ▁floor ▁in ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁first ▁store y . ▁The ▁aud itor ium ▁had ▁ra ked ▁se ating ▁with ▁a ▁capacity ▁of ▁just ▁under ▁ 1 0 0 . ▁The ▁space ▁was ▁known ▁as ▁Bell ▁Theatre . ▁ ▁In ▁February ▁ 1 9 7 5 ▁a ▁small ▁studio ▁theatre ▁was ▁added ▁in ▁a ▁single ▁store y ▁extension ▁at ▁the ▁South ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁building ▁for ▁" produ ctions ▁which ▁would ▁not ▁fit ▁into ▁the ▁usual ▁theatre ▁pattern ." ▁This ▁space ▁was ▁known ▁as ▁Prom pt ▁Cor ner . ▁ ▁Following ▁ref urb ishment , ▁the ▁theatre ▁now ▁has ▁one ▁large ▁theatre ▁space ▁and ▁several ▁rooms ▁which ▁are ▁available ▁to ▁h ire , ▁when ▁not ▁in ▁use