Salford Exhibition Hall, Cattle Market Site, Cross Lane, Salford

Reference    Manchester Guardian 2 September 1927 page11
SALFORD’S EXHIBITION HALL SCHEME – At the beginning of September 1927 Salford Council signed a preliminary agreement with the promoters of a scheme to redevelop the Cattle Market site on Cross Lane, and a limited company with a subscribed capital of £250,000 was shortly to be formed to implement this. Plans were already in the course of preparation by Robert Atkinson of London and Charles Swain of Manchester. Sir Owen Williams was to act as consulting engineer.

A Trades Exhibition Hall was to be erected on land abutting Cross Lane. The remainder of the site was to be laid out as an amusement park to the designs of Laycock and Bird of London, who were responsible for the construction of similar features at the Wembley Exhibition. Completion of the plans of the Exhibition Hall had been delayed in the hope that the Cattle Market Hotel might be incorporated into the scheme. As this had not proved possible, the scheme was to proceed using the frontages offered by the Corporation on either side of the Hotel.  If the plans as submitted were passed by the Council, it was expected that work would commence towards the end of October. The company aimed to open the “Pleasure Park” by May 1928 and the Exhibition Hall by the following October. The scheme was to include a cinema seating 2,500, a dance hall of large capacity and a restaurant with seating for 1,000. [Manchester Guardian 2 September 1927 page11]

In early September, plans were stated to be in preparation by Atkinson and Swain who had been appointed architects. In November the Yorkshire Post reported that, work was scheduled to commence in 1928, with final costs estimated at over £1 million. Charles Swain is no longer mentioned in the November report.