History
Copied from Cinematreasures.
Located in the north-east Manchester suburb of Moston. Built on the site of the Empress Picture House, which was basically a tin hut that had opened as a cinema in 1914 with seating provided for 700. The Adelphi Cinema was built and opened by the H.D. Moorhouse chain in November 1937 with Anton Walbrook in “Michael Strogoff”.
Seating was provided for 1,312 in a stadium plan, with a raised stepped section at the rear.
The Adelphi Cinema was closed in 1962 with a double bill programme “Winchester 73” and “Sword of Ali Baba”. It was converted into a bingo club. This was later closed and the empty building was partially damaged by a fire.
It was taken over by a family operated firm as a hardware store, which moved premises up the road around this time last year due to it needed the roof replacing.
Explore
I’ve been keeping an eye on this place for nearly a year, after reading a local newspaper article that it’s to be demolished to make way for some apartments.
I spoke to the previous owners who hadn’t fully moved out at the time and they wouldn’t let me in due to the asbestos roof, which was why they were moving. They’d been quoted £400k to get it replaced apparently.
Anyway, it was always pretty tight, and being overlooked by houses the one way in that I had spotted was an early morning job that I just couldn’t be arsed with for the reward. I wasn't expecting much, maybe the odd unused room like a lot of these cinemas/theatres, but it just didn’t seem worth it having already seen pictures online.
Moving on, I was driving home after doing a bit of shopping and thought it’s been a month or two since I last checked so why not take. Little detour and have a nosey. It was wide open, OSB swinging in the wind, windows smashed and an Asbestos testing van parked out front with a bloke just locking the gates behind him.
So having my camera in the car, I poked my head in. It’s clear that in the month ish I’ve neglected to look it’s been on fire twice, and had the granny smashed out of it. Typical.
It seems Deans DIY have used every single inch of space in there, basement rammed out with bathtubs, projection room full of racking and DIY shite, everywhere had false ceilings and panelling over the tiling. It’s turd. Still a few original features, and I was surprised to see some original cinema seats in one of the old toilets. Other than that there wasn’t much else cinema or bingo wise in there.
Pics
There’s not many old photo’s of the cinema about, that I can find anyway. A few I’ve stolen from cinema treasures showing near enough what it’s like now just with less smoke damage (it suffered a small fire between being a Bingo hall and the DIY shop)
An old photo from the 60’s when it was a Bingo hall
Similar angle today
When Deanway took over it
And again how it stands now
View of the auditorium when the store was open, you can see the previous fire damage on the ceiling.
And now
Copied from Cinematreasures.
Located in the north-east Manchester suburb of Moston. Built on the site of the Empress Picture House, which was basically a tin hut that had opened as a cinema in 1914 with seating provided for 700. The Adelphi Cinema was built and opened by the H.D. Moorhouse chain in November 1937 with Anton Walbrook in “Michael Strogoff”.
Seating was provided for 1,312 in a stadium plan, with a raised stepped section at the rear.
The Adelphi Cinema was closed in 1962 with a double bill programme “Winchester 73” and “Sword of Ali Baba”. It was converted into a bingo club. This was later closed and the empty building was partially damaged by a fire.
It was taken over by a family operated firm as a hardware store, which moved premises up the road around this time last year due to it needed the roof replacing.
Explore
I’ve been keeping an eye on this place for nearly a year, after reading a local newspaper article that it’s to be demolished to make way for some apartments.
I spoke to the previous owners who hadn’t fully moved out at the time and they wouldn’t let me in due to the asbestos roof, which was why they were moving. They’d been quoted £400k to get it replaced apparently.
Anyway, it was always pretty tight, and being overlooked by houses the one way in that I had spotted was an early morning job that I just couldn’t be arsed with for the reward. I wasn't expecting much, maybe the odd unused room like a lot of these cinemas/theatres, but it just didn’t seem worth it having already seen pictures online.
Moving on, I was driving home after doing a bit of shopping and thought it’s been a month or two since I last checked so why not take. Little detour and have a nosey. It was wide open, OSB swinging in the wind, windows smashed and an Asbestos testing van parked out front with a bloke just locking the gates behind him.
So having my camera in the car, I poked my head in. It’s clear that in the month ish I’ve neglected to look it’s been on fire twice, and had the granny smashed out of it. Typical.
It seems Deans DIY have used every single inch of space in there, basement rammed out with bathtubs, projection room full of racking and DIY shite, everywhere had false ceilings and panelling over the tiling. It’s turd. Still a few original features, and I was surprised to see some original cinema seats in one of the old toilets. Other than that there wasn’t much else cinema or bingo wise in there.
Pics
There’s not many old photo’s of the cinema about, that I can find anyway. A few I’ve stolen from cinema treasures showing near enough what it’s like now just with less smoke damage (it suffered a small fire between being a Bingo hall and the DIY shop)
An old photo from the 60’s when it was a Bingo hall
Similar angle today
When Deanway took over it
And again how it stands now
View of the auditorium when the store was open, you can see the previous fire damage on the ceiling.
And now
