County Cinema
320 Great Cheetham Street E,
Broughton,
Salford,
M7 4UJ
320 Great Cheetham Street E,
Broughton,
Salford,
M7 4UJ
2 people
favorited this theater
Additional Info
Previously operated by: G.B. Snape Group of Assoc. Cinema Companies, J.F. Emery Circuit
Functions: Retail
Previous Names: Empire Electric Theatre, Broughton Cinema
Nearby Theaters
Located in the Higher Broughton district of Salford, to the north of Manchester. The Empire Electric Theatre opened on 8th May 1913.
In 1922, the name was changed to Broughton Empire. The cinema went through seven changes of ownership, in 1923 to J.F. Emery Circuit, to Red Rose Cinemas Ltd in 1928; to Jefton Entertainments Ltd in 1935; then Shaws Amusements Ltd in 1941.
In 1951, the cinema went independent again under the ownership of Mr. Wild. By 1959, it became part of the G.B. Snape Group of Assoc. Cinema Companies circuit.
It closed as a cinema in 1966, becoming the County Bingo Club (what a refreshing change, wasn’t Britain "Bingo Mad" in the 1960’s?)
It closed as a bingo hall sometime later and then became a supermarket under the name of County Hall Market. That store closed a few years ago and the building lay empty and shuttered until it was re-opened as a children’s play area named Jump-in-Jacks. That had closed by August 2019 when the building was covered in scaffold. It was converted into Ades Foods, an Afro-Caribbean Cash & Carry grocery store.
Hopefully Salford Council will not preside over the demolition of yet another piece of our social history!
Contributed by
Steve Lynch
Want to be emailed when a new comment is posted about this theater?
Just login to your account and subscribe to this theater.
Recent comments (view all 3 comments)
Photo of the Broughton County here:–
View link
Full address is 320, Great Cheetham Street East, Salford, M7 4UJ.
The building remained empty for many years, fitted with a roller shutter and with all other orifices roughly rendered over. September 2009, a false facade on a timber frame was built over the lower half. This made the appearance much more presentable, and in 2014 the whole frontage was painted sky-blue and the interior fitted out as ‘Jump-in-Jack’s’ soft play and activity centre. However, this was short-lived, and after just one year it was shuttered once more. For five years it was plastered in ‘To Let’ signage, which had largely peeled off by July 2019, when the frontage was scaffolded to convert the building into ‘Ades Foods, Afro - Caribbean Cash and Carry’ which it remains today, in 2026.