I remain surprised at how so many of our cinemas have survived, long after the last reel of film has been shown and the last choc ice eaten.
So it is with the Adelphi Cinema in Moston which Andy Robertson recorded on a trip out of the south of the city.
Now I knew nothing of this picture house and so turned to Cinema Treasures which is a wonderful site packed with information from where I discovered it had been built “on the site of the Empress Picture House, which was basically a tin hut that had opened as a cinema in 1914 with seating provided for 700. The Adelphi Cinema was built and opened by the H.D. Moorhouse chain in November 1937 with Anton Walbrook in “Michael Strogoff”.
Seating was provided for 1,312 in a stadium plan, with a raised stepped section at the rear.
The Adelphi Cinema was closed in 1962 with a double bill programme “Winchester 73” and “Sword of Ali Baba”. It was converted into a bingo club. This was later closed and the empty building was partially damaged by a fire.
It was taken over by a family operated firm as a hardware store, which still operates from the building as Deanway Hardware in 2011.*
The research and description had been compiled by Ken Roe who I hope won’t mind me quoting from this piece.
As Andy’s pictures show it is still there although perhaps looking a tad tired but neevertheless reminds you of just how impressive these 1930s cinemas were.
And as ever there is a connection with the rest of the city and particularly Chorlton because H.D.Moorhouse lived on Wilbraham Road and owned both Pavilion and later the Palais de Luxe cinema on Barlow Moor Road .
Pictures; the Adelphi Cinema, 2015 from the collection of Andy Robertson
Cinema Treasures, http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/36607
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