Report (Permission Visit) Hulme Hippodrome, Sep17

[Ojay]

nice stuff,
I believe squatters are doing the same with the cinema on Oxford street?

NO they are not lol, he even said this already, and if that wasn't enough one of our members here went and did some remedial work after they kicked them out in between the work order to further fortify the place

 

[elhomer12]

Those mercury arc rectifiers...... love old industrial shit like that

So whats the process if you want in, just rock up offering peace and love?

 

[bignickb]

I went there yesterday, they were indeed friendly but I did ply them with cigs. lol. The place has been tidied up and the stage now has a roof - albeit thrown together wood and plasterboard.
The Cornerhouse lot got thrown out a few weeks back so it's only a matter of time with this place. There's a meeting next week about it locally.
It was great to get back there though, it's stunning decor still blows me away.

 

[crazyjonhere]

Mercury arc rectifiers Rare to see them still in a place

 

[UrbanFoxCub]

Always fancied the look of this place. Scoped it out a few times to no avail.

A quick message off @Bolts about an article in the MEN and we were off.

said article:http://www.manchestereveningnews.co...nside-hulme-hippodrome-how-squatters-13562709

The people squatting in there were very friendly, let us in and pretty much have free roam of the place. They're hoping to get the cafe up and running and to hold jam nights for the community and to try and save the building from falling apart.

One of the guys there (can see him in the group shot) was telling us a back story about Deya who had it when it was summit to dow with a church. He was performing miracles on infertile women by giving them babies he'd trafficked from Kenya or something along those lines. So the basement was all partitioned out into small rooms where they were kept. Not too sure what the craic is with that lot to be honest.

From what I can find The Beatles, Laurel & Hardy, Nina Simone and George Formby are just some of the acts that have performed here.

I've been lazy and just copied the history from @Lavino 's report from last year.

History

The Hulme Hippodrome, originally known as the Grand Junction Theatre and Floral Hall, opened in Hulme, Manchester, on 7 October 1901. It and the nearby Playhouse Theatre, built at the same time, were part of the theatrical empire of W. H. Broadhead. The two venues were connected by an arcade, at the centre of which was Broadhead's company headquarters.

Initially the theatre staged mainly dramatic productions, while the original Hippodrome presented variety performances, but in 1905 the names and functions of the theatres were interchanged: the Hippodrome became the Grand Junction, and the variety performances were transferred to the new Hippodrome.

The Hippodrome was last used as a theatre in the 1960s; from the mid-1970s until its closure in 1986 it was used as a bingo hall. Since then most of the building has remained empty, and it has been placed on Manchester City Council's Buildings at Risk Register.

The building was bought by Gilbert Deya Ministries in 1999, and they hold services in part of the ground floor, led by pastor John Ezedom.

The only area you are not allowed is the living area upstairs apart from that this place is a gem!

 

[elhomer12]

The only area you are not allowed is the living area upstairs apart from that this place is a gem!

I went through the living area I found it quite amusing how the squatters had made 'forts', etc out of the nutjob pastor's books

 

[UrbanFoxCub]

I'm not too sure fella. They said theyve got a community janitor who looks after the building and he reckons they will be there for 6 years minimum? I don't understand squatting or how it works. It's the same group that were in The Cornerhouse, but they got evicted.

If they stay long enough they will be able to claim ownership..

There is no community janitor who looks after the building that is bull.

 

[UrbanFoxCub]

I went there yesterday, they were indeed friendly but I did ply them with cigs. lol. The place has been tidied up and the stage now has a roof - albeit thrown together wood and plasterboard.
The Cornerhouse lot got thrown out a few weeks back so it's only a matter of time with this place. There's a meeting next week about it locally.
It was great to get back there though, it's stunning decor still blows me away.

the wood and plasterboard stage is from the church that used to be there. Shame as it looks rough with all that there

 

[UrbanFoxCub]

I went through the living area I found it quite amusing how the squatters had made 'forts', etc out of the nutjob pastor's books

Hahah

 

[UrbanFoxCub]

NO they are not lol, he even said this already, and if that wasn't enough one of our members here went and did some remedial work after they kicked them out in between the work order to further fortify the place

That quick fix by the member has since been secured by vps metal sheeting. And a vacant building alarm with pir cctv cams. Easily to bypass sensors!

 

[ShaunaMP]

Is this still around?