Empire Hall, Packer Street, Rochdale

Also kown as - Empire Theatre, Pringle's Picture Palace, Empire De Luxe Cinema (1929)

Built at an estimated cost of £3,000, the Empire Hall opened as a music hall in August 1904 in Packer Street, opposite Rochdale Town Hall. By 1910 Management was in the hands of Ralph Pringle who re-named it Pringle’s Picture Palace. And introduced Cine/Variety a mixture of film and live acts. This use continued until approximately 1918 when the Empire Hall became a cinema only.

Built at an estimated cost of £3,000, the Empire Hall opened as a music hall in August 1904 in Paker Street, opposite Rochdale Town Hall. By 1910 Management was in the hands of Ralph Pringle who re-named it Pringle’s Picture Palace. And introduced Cine/Variety a mixture of film and live acts. This use continued until approximately 1918 when the Empire Hall became a cinema only.

The elevation to Paker Street remains little altered. Built of stone parpoints with ashlar dressings the frontage has five bays, the outside ones having a pinnacle roofs, while the centre bay has a pediment with the words 'EMPIRE HALL' carved into the stone. At balcony level there is a 'speakers’ balcony.' Internally, The auditorium ceiling was barrel-vaulted with plaster ornamentation in the form of geometric designs. Originally there was a horseshoe shaped balcony returning to the stage wall either side of the proscenium arch.

In July 1929 the auditorium underwent considerable alteration and modernisation. The horseshoe balcony was removed and replaced with a shallow curved cinema balcony. The orchestra enclosure was also removed and the stage depth decreased, only now being deep enough to accommodate the screen and two speakers for 'talkie' films. The proscenium was made larger but also recessed more, in order to increase the seating capacity. Tip up seats were installed in the stalls area, and the circle seats were mahogany, inlaid and covered in rose moquette. The floors were covered in 1,200 yards of Wilton carpet, and the whole of the auditorium redecorated with glazed walls with a deep ornamental frieze installed, and antique silver medallions placed in the centre of the wall panels. Coloured electric footlights and Holophane fittings were also installed. Either side of the proscenium were placed two female figures representing Art, and Music. The old Empire was renamed 'The Empire De Luxe Cinema.

In the 1950's the showing of films ended, and the cinema was converted into a Bingo Hall. By 1995 this had also closed, the ground floor being converted into a “Walkabout” Australian themed bar/pub. (architect Hattrell and Partners) At this time the balcony was divided off, by a partition wall from the ceiling to the front edge balcony front edge out of public use, by a drop wall from the ceiling to the balcony front edge of the balcony and taken out of public use.

ROCHDALE - Proposed Music Hall on site of Circus of Varieties Newgate Rochdale*. Announcement of an architectural competition for a new music hall. The assessor was to be a “well-known music hall manager,” and the prize £5. The British Architect was not impressed. [British Architect 15 April 1904 Page 278] *At the time Thomas Hargreaves was part owner of the Circus of Varieties which may account for BA confusion over the site of the new hall.

NEW MUSIC-HALL AT ROCHDALE. This morning Mr. Thomas Hargreayes, the proprietor of the new music-hall in the Rochdale Town Hall Square, which bears the name of the Empire Hall, applied at the Rochdale Police Court for a music and dancing licence. [Manchester Evening News Friday 22 July 1904 page 6]

Reference    The Era 19 March 1904 page
Reference    British Architect 15 April 1904 Page 278
Reference    Manchester Courier 4 June 1904 page 7 – architects named
Reference    Manchester Evening News Friday 22 July 1904 page 6 – application for a music and dancing licence
Reference    The Stage 4 August 1904 page 11