The Carmarthen Public Rooms were built in 1854, with the intention to create public rooms were first expressed by Dr David Lloyd in 1839. Commonly referred to as the "Assembly Rooms" the building was designed by James Wilson (architect) of Bath on the site of the Scurlock family town house, where Sir Richard Steele, founder of The Spectator, died in 1729. The site was occupied by The Ivy Bush inn until c1801, and was then premises of the Timmins family, timber merchants. The Lyric is a theatre and cinema, and was recently refurbished.