Explore:
Visited with Dweeb and Ojay after finding one of the squatters on Facebook and dropping him a message asking if we could pop by.
The squatters are pretty sound and were happy to let us wander round on our own for as long as we liked, which we were all quite chuffed with seeing as how beautiful the place is!
Seeing as the owner of the building has been deported for nicking babies, it seems like the squatters might be able to stick around for a while so it will be interesting to see what becomes of it.
History:
"The Grand Junction Theatre and Floral Hall was opened on 7th October 1901. It was a drama theatre, and presented plays, pantomimes, opera and occasional variety shows. It was designed in a Moorish/Roccoco style by architect J.J. Alley. (In 1902 J.J. Alley also designed the smaller Hippodrome variety theatre (later Playhouse/Nia Centre) which was built adjacent to it at the corner of Warwick Street). It was built for and operated by the Broadhead’s Theatres circuit and was their head office. Seating in the theatre was provided for 2,000 in orchestra stalls, dress circle and gallery levels, with 1,000 seats in the Floral Hall.
In 1905 it was re-named Hulme Hippodrome Theatre and was screening films as well as presenting variety shows. Films continued to be screened until at least 1927. From 1942 until 1949 it was re-named Manchester Repertory Theatre. In 1950 it was taken over by the Brennon Cinemas circuit and was refurbished & redecorated, becoming the Hulme Hippodrome Theatre again, re-opening on 20th February 1950 with a variety show starring Billy Reid & Dorothy Squires. In 1960, it became a ‘revue bar’ presenting stiptease performers. In 1962 it closed and was converted into a Mecca Bingo Club.
It was closed in 1986"
"The building was bought by Gilbert Deya Ministries in 1999, and services were held in part of the ground floor.[3] The church spent £200,000 on the building and in 2013 leased it a charity, Youth Village, they then decided to sell the building.[4]
The Friends of Hulme Hippodrome had hoped to get the building listed as an asset of community value, which would have given the community group six months to raise the money needed to buy the building from the owner before it went out to general market. The application, however, was turned down by Manchester City Council. A council spokesman said: "There would also be a significant cost to bring the building back into use—into the millions—and without a [business] plan in place it would be unfair for us to assume they could turn the building around."[4]"
Pictures are a mixture of Camera and phone and equally as terrible ha!
Visited with Dweeb and Ojay after finding one of the squatters on Facebook and dropping him a message asking if we could pop by.
The squatters are pretty sound and were happy to let us wander round on our own for as long as we liked, which we were all quite chuffed with seeing as how beautiful the place is!
Seeing as the owner of the building has been deported for nicking babies, it seems like the squatters might be able to stick around for a while so it will be interesting to see what becomes of it.
History:
"The Grand Junction Theatre and Floral Hall was opened on 7th October 1901. It was a drama theatre, and presented plays, pantomimes, opera and occasional variety shows. It was designed in a Moorish/Roccoco style by architect J.J. Alley. (In 1902 J.J. Alley also designed the smaller Hippodrome variety theatre (later Playhouse/Nia Centre) which was built adjacent to it at the corner of Warwick Street). It was built for and operated by the Broadhead’s Theatres circuit and was their head office. Seating in the theatre was provided for 2,000 in orchestra stalls, dress circle and gallery levels, with 1,000 seats in the Floral Hall.
In 1905 it was re-named Hulme Hippodrome Theatre and was screening films as well as presenting variety shows. Films continued to be screened until at least 1927. From 1942 until 1949 it was re-named Manchester Repertory Theatre. In 1950 it was taken over by the Brennon Cinemas circuit and was refurbished & redecorated, becoming the Hulme Hippodrome Theatre again, re-opening on 20th February 1950 with a variety show starring Billy Reid & Dorothy Squires. In 1960, it became a ‘revue bar’ presenting stiptease performers. In 1962 it closed and was converted into a Mecca Bingo Club.
It was closed in 1986"
"The building was bought by Gilbert Deya Ministries in 1999, and services were held in part of the ground floor.[3] The church spent £200,000 on the building and in 2013 leased it a charity, Youth Village, they then decided to sell the building.[4]
The Friends of Hulme Hippodrome had hoped to get the building listed as an asset of community value, which would have given the community group six months to raise the money needed to buy the building from the owner before it went out to general market. The application, however, was turned down by Manchester City Council. A council spokesman said: "There would also be a significant cost to bring the building back into use—into the millions—and without a [business] plan in place it would be unfair for us to assume they could turn the building around."[4]"
Pictures are a mixture of Camera and phone and equally as terrible ha!
