Crown Cinema

Church Street and Mather Road,
Eccles, M30

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Additional Info

Previously operated by: Broadhead's Theatres, G.B. Snape Group of Assoc. Cinema Companies, H.D. Moorhouse Circuit

Firms: Campell & Horsely

Styles: Adam, Renaissance Revival

Previous Names: Lyceum Theatre, Grand Theatre & Opera House, Crown Theatre

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Crown Cinema

Designed by local architects Campbell & Horsley, the theatre was originally built for Richard Flanagan as a playhouse named Lyceum Theatre, which opened on Thursday, February 23, 1899 with the musical farce “Gay Grisette”. It is located on Church Street at the corner of Mather Road.

The façade is quite ornamental in Accrington brick and terracotta in a Renaissance Revival style. There was originally a tower feature on the left-hand corner (since removed). The foyer was quite small. The auditorium had seating on orchestra, dress circle, balcony and upper balcony (the gods), all supported by four cast iron columns on each level. At dress circle level there was a single box on each side of the proscenium which were set back with moulded plaster cornice. The decorative plaster fronts of the tiers were in an Adam style. The fire curtain was embossed with the Borough of Eccles Heraldic emblem. The 26ft wide proscenium surround was decorated to represent Shakespeare’s “Seven Ages of Man” while a panel above the proscenium had stencilled decorations of flowers and swags. The stage was 67ft wide and 38ft deep. There were 17 dressing rooms.

In March 1899, the Eccles public were treated to a ten minute Bioscope presentation, “The Spanish Bull Fight”. Originally, the theatre’s owners intended a more cultural entertainment of Shakespeare and operettas, however by 1900 the theatre began to put on variety and novelty acts.

In 1907, the theatre changed ownership to Broadhead’s Theatres chain and was renamed the Crown Theatre. In 1932 the Crown Theatre became a cinema, just in time for the “talkies”. The projection box was constructed at the front of the upper balcony. By 1937 it had become part of the H.D. Moorhouse Circuit.

In 1955, the Crown Theatre became part of the G.B. Snape Group of Assoc. Cinema Companies circuit and continued showing films until 1963 when it became the inevitable bingo house. For reasons unknown the stage house was partially demolished. On 16th April 2003, English Heritage awarded the Crown Cinema a Grade II Listed building status. Unfortunately the bingo club closed in December 2003 and has been shuttered ever since. Over the following years the condition of the building deteriorated due to lack of maintenance, and the decorative plasterwork on the ceiling collapsed caused by the building being no longer weatherproof. Plans were approved in January 2019 to convert the building into 80 flats, retaining the façade.

At 04:45am on the morning of 1st December 2019, the derelict building was destroyed by fire.

Contributed by Steve Lynch

Recent comments (view all 7 comments)

ormus
ormus on January 10, 2006 at 1:09 pm

Latest news I have is that planning permission has been granted for conversion into apartments. Im not what, if any, original features have to remain?
Lets all hope that it wont be demolished entirely?

Ian
Ian on August 13, 2006 at 9:50 pm

Two further exterior pictures here:–

View link

View link

keiths
keiths on April 14, 2010 at 8:05 am

Follow this link to have a very sad look inside……

View link

Mather_Road
Mather_Road on February 24, 2015 at 5:47 am

Local Residents and the people of Eccles have shown interest in Tidying up the site so it is in keeping with the Buildings Past and the areas future. Anyone interested please contact

Mather_Road
Mather_Road on April 14, 2015 at 6:07 am

If you want to get involved in ‘Help Save the Crown Theatre Eccles’(Facebook) please contact the Trustees of the former Crown Theatre,

‘Eccles Lyceum Theatre Trust’

(More details to follow)

70mmbobbyj
70mmbobbyj on December 1, 2019 at 3:45 am

From various sources, there has been a major fire at this building.

terry
terry on December 2, 2019 at 5:23 am

Article in the Manchester Evening News :–

https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/eccles-theatre-salford-gutted-fire-17345853

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