Shalimar Cinema
435 Barlow Moor Road,
Manchester,
M21 8AU
435 Barlow Moor Road,
Manchester,
M21 8AU
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Additional Info
Previously operated by: Classic Cinemas (UK), Essoldo Circuit (Contol) Ltd.
Architects: Benjamin Waterhouse
Styles: Art Deco
Previous Names: Rivoli Cinema, Essoldo, Classic
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Located in south Manchester district of Chorlton-cum-Hardy. The Rivoli Cinema was opened on 20th November 1936. It was built for and operated by independent operator Ben Kanter.
Designed in an Art Deco style, seating was provided in stalls and circle levels. The Rivoli Cinema was a popular cinema, but was badly damaged by a German bombing raid in December 1940, when a bomb dropped in the street in front of the cinema, removing the front of the building. It was requisitioned by the Government and used for the remainder of World War II as a food store.
In 1954, the facade was rebuilt and the Rivoli Cinema was restored and re-opened on 17th November 1954. In April 1955, it was taken over by the Newcastle based Essoldo chain, and was re-named Essoldo. In April 1972, it was taken over by the Classic Cinemas chain and re-named Classic.
It was tripled in November 1973, with seating for 400 in Screen 1, 196 in Screen 2 and 192 in Screen 3. Classic closed Screen 2 on 15th April 1975 with "The Other Side of Midnight" and it was converted into a skateboard centre. Screen 3 was closed on 15th December 1978, and Screen 1 closed in March 1979, when Classic Cinemas sold the building.
It re-opened as the Shalimar Cinema, screening Asian Bollywood films in the former Screen 1. This was closed in 1982. The building was demolished and shops were built on the site. Today occupied by a Blockbuster Video store and a KFC Restaurant.
Contributed by
Ken Roe
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Recent comments (view all 4 comments)
A vintage 1958 photograph of the Essoldo, with its rebuilt facade:
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The Kinematograph Year Book charts the blighted history of the Rivoli. KYB 1937 simply has Ben Kanter as proprietor and 1520 seats as the capacity. KYB 1942 has “(closed)”. Understandably, KYBs 1945, 1947, 1950 and 1954 make no mention of it. 46 years of existence; and closed for 30% of the time!
HI I WORKED IN THE BOX THERE IN THE MID SIXTYS GK 21s WITH MAG SOUND THE CARPET ON THE LEFT HAND STAIRCASE TO THE CIRCLE WAS SO BADLY WORN THAT PATRONS HAD TO USE THE RIGHTHAND STAIRCASE THE MANAGER WAS A MR WILSON AND THE CHIEF WAS ERIC CLARK CINEMA HOG
I started going to this cinema back in 1974 , then it was still the Classic in the eight years since it closed i saw many many films ,it was still a good cinema back in the late seventies ,but when new owners told over it The Shalimar within a couple of years needed to spend money on the general up keep of the building a nice picture house in its day ,but lack of investment in the cinema it closed . The Shalimar suffered the fate of other cinemas in south Manchester like the Sale Odeon the Palace in Levenshulme and the Burnage Concord at the end of 1984/new year of 1985 there were not many cinemas left in south Manchester , you had to travel in city centre or in to Stockport. Yours Robert Kincaid