Tameside hippodrome based in Ashton.
Despite only living a 10 min drive from here I had never even heard of this place.. Opening in 1903 exclusively as a theatre, then temporarily converting to a cinema.. then back to a theatre!
I will copy and paste a bit of history below:
The theatre opened with a civic gala evening on 19 November 1904[4] and a full variety programme commenced the following Monday.
In 1932, it was converted to a temporary cinema,[5] the auditorium and front-of-house area were gutted and the circle, gallery and boxes replaced by a 600-seat cantilevered circle. The decor was changed to the Art Deco style and a central pediment added to the front of the building.The architects for this re-design were Drury & Gomersall of Manchester. Renamed The New Empire it re-opened in November 1933 by which time it had twice changed hands! Put up for auction in early 1933, in order to fund the death duties arising from the death of William H Broadhead in 1931, it was bought by a Stockport partnership then quickly acquired by Union Cinemas, who were responsible for adding the streamlined canopy at the front of the building and for the vertical signage. In 1937 it passed to ABC Cinemas when they acquired the Union business. It retained its original branding, though, and wasn't renamed "ABC" until 1964.
Following an attempt to convert it into a bingo hall, a 21-year lease was bought by Tameside Council, and the theatre was relaunched as Tameside Theatre in 1976. The building was bought by the council in 1983.
In 1992, a contract to manage the theatre was given to Apollo Leisure (who were subsequently bought by Live Nation).
A picture of how it was back in the day:
The Explore:
After seeing a fellow explorer post a few pics of this place I was intrigued and asked for a few tips. I wasn't sure if this place was still 'open' has a week or two had passed since he went. The luck was in and we were straight in. It was a brilliant explore and I could have spent easily another hour in there but the missus was waiting for me round the corner in IKEA so I had to be sharpish!
My pictures really aren't the best as i'm no master photographer and only use my phone so these pictures really dont do it justice. Also the main arena was almost pitch black and in haste, I forgot my tripod.. doh!
Anyway, here's the best I could manage:
This magnificent cinema projector was the highlight for me.. Belongs in a museum this thing!
There was a full wall of these things in a pitch black corridor!
This is the best I could manage using long exposure on my phone and no tripod 😆
Thanks for taking the time to have a look!
Despite only living a 10 min drive from here I had never even heard of this place.. Opening in 1903 exclusively as a theatre, then temporarily converting to a cinema.. then back to a theatre!
I will copy and paste a bit of history below:
The theatre opened with a civic gala evening on 19 November 1904[4] and a full variety programme commenced the following Monday.
In 1932, it was converted to a temporary cinema,[5] the auditorium and front-of-house area were gutted and the circle, gallery and boxes replaced by a 600-seat cantilevered circle. The decor was changed to the Art Deco style and a central pediment added to the front of the building.The architects for this re-design were Drury & Gomersall of Manchester. Renamed The New Empire it re-opened in November 1933 by which time it had twice changed hands! Put up for auction in early 1933, in order to fund the death duties arising from the death of William H Broadhead in 1931, it was bought by a Stockport partnership then quickly acquired by Union Cinemas, who were responsible for adding the streamlined canopy at the front of the building and for the vertical signage. In 1937 it passed to ABC Cinemas when they acquired the Union business. It retained its original branding, though, and wasn't renamed "ABC" until 1964.
Following an attempt to convert it into a bingo hall, a 21-year lease was bought by Tameside Council, and the theatre was relaunched as Tameside Theatre in 1976. The building was bought by the council in 1983.
In 1992, a contract to manage the theatre was given to Apollo Leisure (who were subsequently bought by Live Nation).
A picture of how it was back in the day:
The Explore:
After seeing a fellow explorer post a few pics of this place I was intrigued and asked for a few tips. I wasn't sure if this place was still 'open' has a week or two had passed since he went. The luck was in and we were straight in. It was a brilliant explore and I could have spent easily another hour in there but the missus was waiting for me round the corner in IKEA so I had to be sharpish!
My pictures really aren't the best as i'm no master photographer and only use my phone so these pictures really dont do it justice. Also the main arena was almost pitch black and in haste, I forgot my tripod.. doh!
Anyway, here's the best I could manage:
This magnificent cinema projector was the highlight for me.. Belongs in a museum this thing!
There was a full wall of these things in a pitch black corridor!
This is the best I could manage using long exposure on my phone and no tripod 😆
Thanks for taking the time to have a look!
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