Friday, 4 June 2010

Burnley Empire Theatre, Burnley - Jan 10

visited here with andyj23uk, not the quickest of places to get in but worth it!

history:- it originally opened in 1894 and was converted in 1938 to a cinema, since then it was converted in to a bingo hall! it closed in 1995 there were fears that it would be vulnerable to neglect and vandalism. The disused upper level already shows signs of fairly extensive water damage and rot (there was a few floors falling threw and stair cases missing) and while were there plaster was falling off a stairway roof at random intervals. now with a false ceiling inserted half-way over stage. Flat, paneled ceiling with circular centre panel. Restrained plasterwork on balcony and box fronts. Three boxes and the upper balcony have been partitioned off, but could easily be reopened


as you can tell.......its the ceiling!

these lamps are all over the place and they are great looking things




these pics were difficult to say the least, the room is pitch black inside so thats why the first pic is a bit patchy as it was all light painted. the second was messing about with the tourch!

the old balcony that has been sealed, this could be removed if they wished but it would be pointless as the place is in a bad way, as i was in the main room plaster was falling off the walls in the stairways!

liverpool carlton cinema

 
The Carlton Theatre is located in the Tuebrook district of Liverpool. It is located on a prominent corner site at Green Lane and West Derby Road and externally is an outstanding building, built with brick that has white stone trimmings over the windows.


It opened on 11th June 1932 with Gene Gerrard in "My Wife's Family". Built for an independent operator, at the time of opening it was Liverpool's largest purpose built cinema. Seating was provided for 1,280 in the stalls and 668 in the circle. The side-wall decoration was rather plain apart from plaster cast leaping stags above the circle level, a design which was copied on the original screen curtains. The proscenium arch had wings containing a series of vertical gold ribs on each side, which were lit by concealed lighting. The theatre was equipped with a stage, and dressing rooms, a Christie 3Manual theatre organ and a cafe, which had a Chinese decorative treatment.

It was taken over by Associated British Cinemas(ABC) from 12th June 1935. By the end of the 1950's the cafe had closed and the space became the district offices for ABC. The Christie organ, which was played regularly into the mid-1950's, had been sold and removed by the end of the decade. It was re-named ABC in December 1962 and continued until 22nd January 1972 when it closed for modernisation. The rear stalls under the circle was converted into a Painted Wagon pub, which had its own seperate entrance on West Derby Road. The circle was re-seated and re-opened with 636 luxury seats. The original proscenium and the side walls were covered with a curtain material and the front stalls area was left un-used.

It re-opened on 27th March 1972 with Ali McGraw in "Love Story". In 1975, the ABC was only open for evening performances and it closed on 9th July 1980 with a John Travolta double bill "Grease" and "Saturday Night Fever".

However all was not quite lost as it re-opened the following day under a new name Carlton Cinema by an independent operator. Unfortunately, this was not to last long and final closure came on 4th December 1982 with Nastassia Kinski in "Cat People".


didnt take many pics in the cinema as it stank of bird crap! :)
 
 
 


the projectors are what make this place worth the visit!