Cannon Huddersfield
Queensgate,
Huddersfield,
HD1 2RB
Queensgate,
Huddersfield,
HD1 2RB
2 people
favorited this theater
The building started life as a riding stable in 1846, and was converted into a theatre in 1905 called the Hippodrome Theatre.
This was in use, as least sporadically as a cinema by 1943, but was destroyed by fire in 1960.
It was rebuilt using the surviving exterior walls as the Tudor Cinema and at some point in the 1970’s a second screen was added on the former stage area with a separate entrance. The cinema was taken over by and renamed Cannon.
Both cinemas closed and after a short period of dereliction the Cannon was converted into a bar named ‘Livingstones’. The former flytower has been reduced in height, both entrances are in use, the frontage has been restored but inside nothing remains to suggest it was ever either a cinema or a theatre.
Livingstones bar closed in 2010 and building stands unused in August 2011.
Contributed by
Ian Grundy
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Recent comments (view all 13 comments)
The Hippodrome Theatre was one of Huddersfields two variety theatres, the other being the Palace (also still standing) which operated in nearby Kirkgate. Even after it reopened as The Tudor, it continued to offer some live shows, the last to my knowledge being a Dusty Springfield concert in the early 1960’s. When Classic cinemas took it over in 1972, a cinema showing ‘adult films’ and called The Tatler- was opened on the former theatre stage area. It did not finally close as a Cannon Cinema, and infact operated as an independant cinema for about a year in 1993/4, when the name of Essoldo was restored albeit for a brief period. The proprietor infact hosted Huddersfield first Lesbian & Gay film festival at the venue, which included a showing of the newly released ‘Pricilla Queen Of The Desert’ as a ‘lighter offering’.As a note, the 1967 fire resulted in the destruction of the auditorium only, to my knowledge the ‘fly tower’ was never reduced in height, and the stage remained undamaged. If one observes the structure from Back Queen Street, it is possible to see the roof line that origionally existed above the hippodromes gallery. Up to about 15 years ago if one observed the building from the heights of the central services tower at the university of Huddersfield it was possible to see the words ‘Hippodrome’ painted in big white letters accross the roof of the flytower
Adendum: Ive got it wrong when the cinema briefly reopened in 1993/4 it tokk on the name of TUDOR- not Essoldo as said above.
If you compare this photograph, taken in 1994 by myself,
View link
with this photograph taken more recently:
View link
it is very clear that the fly-tower has been reduced in height.
Point taken Ian
Here is another recent photo.
indeed the cinema did re open for a while in 1993…..I seem to remember it was open for more than twelve months maybe three years.
It was run by two lads David Hepworth and Colin Platt under a company called Page Media Limited. They also took on the running of the Palace Cinmea Malton and I worked for them at the Palace as Manager / Projectionist. I left in 95 after a falling out but the Palace went on for a further Twelve months until the Tudor Huddersfield closed and the company went into administration.
The Palace Malton reopened five years later run I believe by two university media studies graduates and is still open and just holding its own!
This is a December 2008 photo.
Another 2008 photo can be seen here.
Wow what a blast from the past! I can remember working here as a volunteer in the early to mid 80’s. Then the manager was a great friend Philip Bradley whome I would love to be able to contact if possible. I do have photo’s somewhere of the projection room at the time with Peter Quinn head projectionist who sadly died. Every Thursday i would be the one in all weathers changing posters and letters above the canopy on classic one and number 2 on Zetland street. If anyone from that era remembers me it would be great to here from you, if anyone else would like any info about the cinema at that time please ask, I got to know the place quite well.
Another exterior shot from 2009:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/stagedoor/3933714762/