Victoria Theatre
14-18 Great Clowes Street,
Salford,
M7 1RE
14-18 Great Clowes Street,
Salford,
M7 1RE
2 people
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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 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 (its current use). It is now on the statuatory historic buildings list as a Grade II Listed building.
Contributed by
Steve Lynch
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Recent comments (view all 7 comments)
The Victoria Theatre was grade 2 listed on 18th January 1980
never let this beautiful building be demolished.
TOM JONES PLAYED HERE.
i am 38 years old and have lived and work all over
salford and have never been too far away from “the vic”.
i saw panto there when i was a kid.
rjc
The exterior of this theatre building is so beautiful that I applaud those living in the States to have many classical theatre buildings to be preserved for theatre researchers like us to do research.
Raymond Lo/2nd June,2005
A lovely view of the auditorium in its current use as a bingo hall. Note only the stalls and dress circle are in use. The upper circle and balcony seats (on long wooden benches) are no longer in use.
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The Salford Palace Bingo Hall lists its address as:
14/18 Great Clowes Street
Broughton Bridge
Salford
M7 1RE
Did the theatre run a children’s theatre group in the 1960/70?
I began my working life at this wonderful old theatre, in 1966-7, as a student ASM. I worked for one repertory season, which included the musical Salad Days, and stayed on for the pantomime season, which was Cinderella, directed by Roy Rolland and choregraphed by Johnny Worthy. I have some very happy memories of that time in my life and I’m delighted to see the building has been listed, though I wish it could be a theatre again.