ABC Eccles
52 Church Street,
Eccles,
M30 0DF
52 Church Street,
Eccles,
M30 0DF
1 person
favorited this theater
The Broadway Theatre was the bigest luxury cine/variety theatre to be built in Eccles and designed by architect Joseph Gomersall — one half of the pair of famous British cinema architects Drury & Gomersall. There was no expense spared for the Broadway Theatre which was built at the cost of £70,000 a fair amount in 1932. It was equipped with a Christie 3Manual theatre organ.
The theatre was principally used for movies but was capable of taking touring theatrical productions and accomodating local theatrical groups and variety acts.
Amongst the famous names that appeared on its stage was George Formby.
In 1935, the cinema changed ownership to the little known Mancunian circuit. It changed hands once more in 1936 and became part of Union Cinemas. The final cinema circuit to own the Broadway was the ABC group (Associated British Cinemas)
The cinema closed on March 13th, 1974 and the last two films shown were "Big Boss" and "Soon the Darkness" (ironic).
The Broadway was sold to Kwik-Save Supermarkets in 1975.
It was finally demolished in 2001 to make way for an access road and carpark for the new Morrisons Supermarket.
Contributed by
Steve Lynch
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Recent comments (view all 30 comments)
He’s retired now and lives in Eastbourne. A few of us old ABC Managers try and meet up once a year for a reunion.
Anybody else I might know as well as Roger? I knew most managers on the Manchester and Yorkshire districts from the late 60s.
Unfortunately quite a few of them have died, like Ken Pickering and Jimmy Gold. Did you know Alan Peel or Dave Riby. Still keep in touch with them
I knew dave riby. Jimmy Gold was the District manager in my day (before he went off to manage the ABC Leeds). Ken Pickering I knew of (I think at one point he was at Ardwick). There was also Bill Williamson, Dave Stirzaker, Dave Moss, Harry Ellams and a host of others whose names have gotten lost in the mists of time. If you ever come across Dave Stirzaker ask him when I’m finally going to get my cufflinks back.
Will do! It’s a small world.
I followed Richard Roper into Huddersfield as A/M and knew a lot of the people mentioned; am still frequently in touch with John McIntosh (ABC Wigan), Frank Chambers (ABC Leeds – before Dave Riby) and, until recently, my very good friend, Brett Childes (Odeon Sunderland) who passed away on October 04.
I went on to manage ABC’s theatres in South Shields, Chester, Newcastle upon Tyne (Haymarket AND Westgate Road) and Darlington; sadly,the latter appointment was as a result of Cannon’s strategic withdrawal -true to form – from that city, when Odeon and Warner Bros were left to fight for supremacy; I am pleased to say that Odeon won when they moved to ‘The Gate'development, although that has since become the 'Empire'following the M&M’s intervention upon the Odeon/UCI and Cineworld/UGC mergers………all so complicated!
A vintage photograph of the auditorium in 1966:
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The circle in 1966:
View link
This site has a circa 1955 photo.
Just came across this website by chance. I worked at the ABC Eccles and many others in the Manchester area during the late 60’s. I did not know I still have dgcarter’s cufflinks.
Jimmy Gold made me the offer of becoming his house mananger at the new ABC Leeds. I turned it down and subsequently left ABC in April 1970. But I have always tresasured my memories.