Empire Cinema
Packer Street,
Town Hall Square,
Rochdale,
OL16 1NJ
Packer Street,
Town Hall Square,
Rochdale,
OL16 1NJ
2 people
favorited this theater
Additional Info
Previously operated by: G.B. Snape Group of Assoc. Cinema Companies, Jacksons' Amusements, Ltd.
Previous Names: Empire Theatre, Pringle's Picture Palace, Empire De Luxe Cinema
Nearby Theaters
The Empire Theatre opened as a music hall in 1904. It soon became a cinema, known as Pringle’s Picture Palace.
It has a barrel vaulted ceiling and single balcony which was originally horseshoe in shape, returned to the stage wall, but was altered in July 1929 and replaced by a slightly curved balcony. The proscenium was also altered at this time and moved back to enlarge the seating area. It was re-named Empire De Luxe Cinema.
The Empire Cinema followed a typical pattern of theatre to cinema to bingo to bar going through several name changes in the process and has recently returned to its original Empire name. It was reported that films were being screened in the Empire Cinema again in Autumn 2010. However, these have ceased and the building is now a nightclub name Dali Bar.
It has an excellent location opposite the Town Hall in Packer Street.
Contributed by
Ian Grundy
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Recent comments (view all 2 comments)
A Rochdale Observer newspaper report of the new look Empire De Luxe Cinema. 24th July 1929:
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A more direct link to the article: View link