Report - The Victoria Theatre - Salford - December 2017

[Speed]

The one time the infamous photo stealing urbex nonce Matty Holmes appeared to actually do some exploring! While everyone was slating his ass off he popped this beauty up on his Facebook page and silenced me at least!! No idea if he did it himself or if he was just slipped some intel by persons unknown but i shamelessly swang into action straight away and after procuring a recce by @Ojay him, myself and @dweeb headed up and in through the wide open front door a few days later.

This theatre was another one that had been 'a long time coming' Im not sure when it actually closed, some say 2007 some say 2012 but i know it wasn't really on my radar back in 2009 so maybe the latter. I found out about it after i had done my initial sweep of the Manchester area but like many, there just wasn't a way in until this point anyway. There were some really nice features here and it had that quality 'old skool theatre' feeling where there could just be something epic lurking round every corner (and there was around several corners!). The bright site lights made photography a bit iffy but i was glad of not having to light paint the place. Cant believe the lights still worked tbh! It was fairly damp in there.. While we were in there some local blokes turned up for a look, not explorers i dont think just randoms of the street. Gave us a bit of a fright at first but they left and we carried on unhindered. Couldn't seem to get up the fly tower, the ladders had been cut off well out of our reach but there was still a lot to see regardless.

8.5/10 one of the best!

Located in the Lower Broughton/Broughton Bridge district of Salford. The Victoria Theatre opened as a live theatre on Monday December 10, 1900 and was designed by noted theatre architect Bertie Crewe.
The first record of film exhibition was in November 1901, by the "Thomas Edison Animated Picture Company". In 1913, the theatre was granted a Cinema licence but returned to live theatre again between 1917 and 1919.
The interior was redesigned by another architect named Watson and the ceilings were decorated with Victorian period scenes. The redesign included a Jacobean style cafe.
The Victoria Theatre Cinema was operated by the H.D. Moorhouse Circuit by 1937. It continued life as a cinema until 1958, when it closed due to lack of trade caused by the slum clearances. It was used as a clothing store for a period and occasional repertory groups staged sporadic live theatre performances and pantomimes in the 1960’s.
In 1973, the theatre became a bingo hall, and continued in this use until it closed in 2012. The Victoria Theatre is a Grade II Listed building.

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[Coxieboy]

To think, my parents would have visited this in its hayday.....

 

[host]

Another belter indeed.

 

[albino-jay]

Loved this one. I remember seeing Walter Matty's post on fb with the door wide open behind him. I even took the day off work to go and do it before it got sealed. That never seemed to happen.

It's funny that bastard was outside being filmed talking about the theatre whilst we were inside.

I don't think the lights work anymore I believe the pikies have been in.

Epic place though. good report mate

 

[Calamity Jane]

What a beaut. Those figures do make the boxes stand out. Lovely ornate circle too. Got to love a theatre

 

[dweeb]

One if my favourites from the past few years for sure...

 

[Seffy]

Very sweet that! Good ol' Matty lol