Empire Cinema, Huddersfield
Empire Cinema, Huddersfield. The Empire opened in 1915, designed by the local firm of Stocks & Sykes in a Greek Revival style, and had 870 seats divided between stalls and balcony which had an unusual three-sided flat front. The interior was modernized in an art deco style in 1940, it began to screen pornographic films in the 1970s and still survives in this role in two small screens located in part of the balcony. The stalls and front balcony have been in retail use for decades, and are now in a very poor condition. Grade 2 listed.
It’s truly unfortunate how many beautiful buildings in the UK have been neglected and allowed to fall into disrepair over the years. This neglect often stems from a combination of factors, including lack of funding, changing urban priorities, and sometimes simply a lack of awareness about the historical and cultural significance of these structures.
In an attempt to find new uses for these large, often centrally located buildings, many were converted into bingo halls. This trend started in the 1960s when bingo became a popular pastime in the UK. As the popularity of bingo waned, many of these bingo halls also closed, leaving the buildings vacant once again.
Address: 80 John William St, Huddersfield HD1 5AA
Empire Cinema, Huddersfield
Empire Cinema, Huddersfield. The Empire opened in 1915, designed by the local firm of Stocks & Sykes in a Greek Revival style, and had 870 seats divided between stalls and balcony which had an unusual three-sided flat front. The interior was modernized in an art deco style in 1940, it began to screen pornographic films in the 1970s and still survives in this role in two small screens located in part of the balcony. The stalls and front balcony have been in retail use for decades, and are now in a very poor condition. Grade 2 listed.
It’s truly unfortunate how many beautiful buildings in the UK have been neglected and allowed to fall into disrepair over the years. This neglect often stems from a combination of factors, including lack of funding, changing urban priorities, and sometimes simply a lack of awareness about the historical and cultural significance of these structures.
In an attempt to find new uses for these large, often centrally located buildings, many were converted into bingo halls. This trend started in the 1960s when bingo became a popular pastime in the UK. As the popularity of bingo waned, many of these bingo halls also closed, leaving the buildings vacant once again.
Address: 80 John William St, Huddersfield HD1 5AA