tarboat's photos with the keyword: closed

The 1898 built Blue Bell Hotel in Edgeley fell on hard times some years ago and after a period of dereliction has been converted to flats. It is good to see this rather nice building saved for re-use.

The Picturedrome was the first purpose-built cinema in Macclesfield, opening for business on 21st October 1911. It was designed to seat 700, all on one level. In the early 1930s it came into the control of the owners of Majestic cinema in Macclesfield and eventually closed as a cinema in the 1970s becoming a bingo hall until 1999. It has now been coverted to offices and is the headquarters of Cottrills' rewards business.

Former Evening Star, James Street, Macclesfield. This used to be quite a homely little boozer but unfortunately most of the people who used it became elderly and/or died and the younger generation don't go for quiet back street pubs. I remember it serving Marstons Ale, but it was originally a Smith's house having been acquired for their Crown Brewery tied estate in 1910.

Stanton Ironworks was founded in 1787 and was closed down by Saint Gobain in 2007. High quality spun pipes were the speciality of this works but in spite of operating very efficiently, production was transferred elsewhere and the plant has now been demolished.

Stanton Ironworks was founded in 1787 and had just been closed down by Saint Gobain when I took this photo in 2007. The high quality pipes were the speciality of this works but in spite of operating very efficiently, productuion has been transferred to Germany. This plant has now been demolished.

Another Irish cinema that has closed in the past few years is the Astor at Scariff in County Clare. Its last year of operation appears to have been 2007. It was also the venue for the Midnight Court Film Society which has had to transfer screenings to MacNamara's Bar.

The Bury Art Picture House is on Knowsley Street. The first theatre here was in a converted warehouse that had formerly been a Baptist chapel. This was demolished in 1922 and replaced by the present building, to the baroque design of Albert Winstanley, which was completed in 1923. It seated 1,136 divided between stalls and pit and a 12 row balcony with 2 bow fronted boxes each side. In the 1940s it was operated by the Bury Cinematograph Co., Ltd. There was an L-shaped cafe, originally known as the Oriental or Indian Lounge. The cinema closed in 1964 and it has since been used for Bingo, Pool and now as licensed premises. The white terracotta faience still looks good with the descriptive lettering. It is listed Grade II.

The planning application for housing is already submitted.

The Grosvenor Picture Palace on the corner of Grosvenor Street and Oxford Road in Manchester sports one of my favourite cinema frontages. Designed by Percy Hathersall, it opened for business on May 15th 1915 it had become a dual cinema/bingo hall when the last films ("Passionate Demons" & "Attack of the Crab Monsters"!) were shown on May 18th 1968. The Grade II listed building is now a pub "The Footage" although much of the original interior survives.

This building was originally built as a Scottish Presbyterian Church in 1846 and then converted to a cinema in 1912 when the terracotta faience was added. In 1938 it became the Rex and continued to show films until 1958. It later operated as a bingo hall between 1967 and 1985. Today the building is back as a church for the New Harvest Christian Fellowship.