# Hulme hippodrome, Manchester 01-13



## Bignickb (Jan 30, 2013)

I remember cycling past this place so many times on the way to see friends in the old 'Bullring' - the Hulme crescents and often wondered what lay beneath the big grey cladding. The cladding is gone now and the original building is exposed to the world in all it's glory. 
Opened in 1901 and called the Grand Junction theatre. Nearby was a sister project called the Hulme Hippodrome and was also owned by an entertainments invester called W.H. Broadhead.
In 1905 the names were exchanged and remained until 1929 when it was bought and made into a cinema called the Junction Picture Theatre. After being sold again in 1950, it became a theatre again and called the Playhouse!
In 1956 the BBC took over and used it as a production venue for radio and television broadcasts. This continued until 1986 when it was bought using local government funding and made into an arts centre called the NIA centre, if memory serves - it was to represent African and West Indian culture. But the name 'Hulme Hippodrome' has stuck.
Parts of the building are still in regular use as a church but many parts are forgotten.
So it seemed appropriate to show an example of what is increasingly vanishing in this country before it is gone forever! 

External shot!






From the Cheap seats:





Looking up!










Performer's view. This stage was a bit dodgy.





Looking even further upwards.





Ground level.





Below the stage were the dressing rooms! Lots of loose crap falls on you when other explorers stomp on the stage. Yuk!






Old scripts? Before autocues.





What famous people took a dump here?





A plant room! Notice! These look cool but they contain Mercury - try not to spend too much time near them.





Artistic shot in the dressing rooms.






Higher level dressing room, complete with complimentary roses. Ungrateful gits left them! 





Some kind of control panel!


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## mrtoby (Jan 30, 2013)

love it, I need to get up to this before its too late


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## krela (Jan 30, 2013)

Jesus H christ. Did they buy all the paint no-one else would for a penny a pot or something??


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## flyboys90 (Jan 30, 2013)

How f---ing splendid! amazing interior.The mercury arc rectifiers are for stage lighting--cool,thanks for sharing.


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## MrDan (Jan 30, 2013)

You'd have to add sunglasses to your pack before going here!
Any idea what sort of shows were performed here?
Any famous faces?


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## UE-OMJ (Jan 30, 2013)

Check out those colours! - Although it must have been very impressive back in it's day though.


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## Judderman62 (Jan 30, 2013)

MrDan said:


> You'd have to add sunglasses to your pack before going here!
> Any idea what sort of shows were performed here?
> Any famous faces?



Laurel & Hardy and the Beatles for two.

I had mixed feelings on this place - it had been on my to do list for ages so was glad to eventually get it ticked off , but I wasn't prepared for how knackered it is . The colours are rather gaudy.

nice pics


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## Ramsgatonian (Jan 30, 2013)

Fantastic pictures, this looks surreal!


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## explorer101 (Jan 30, 2013)

nice report... made my eyes a bit sore though! May have to put this on the to-do list as it is local hmmmm


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## BTP Joe (Jan 30, 2013)

Wow! Looks beautiful at the start, they should have kept it!


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## rectory-rat (Jan 30, 2013)

Bloody hell, that's awesome! Not seen it before either. Thanks! 

~RR


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## MeanMustard (Jan 31, 2013)

that's impressive


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## 12quidkidinnit (Jan 31, 2013)

I remember that place. A friend's mum worked in the canteen at the BBC in Manchester, and got us tickets to go and see The Grumbleweeds recording their radio show in there. Would have been about 1980 ish I guess. 

Got on the wrong bus on the way home and ended up lost in Moss Side. Those were the days.


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## clinka (Jan 31, 2013)

Blimey, that colour looks liek an explosion in a paint factory. You've captured the shots very well. Well done!


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## TeeJF (Jan 31, 2013)

Good grief, who painted that place??? Do you think he was on acid perchance?

Stonking report there, well done.


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## Sshhhh... (Jan 31, 2013)

Wow this place is spectacular! Wanted to see this for a while. Great report


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## Sshhhh... (Jan 31, 2013)

TeeJF said:


> Good grief, who painted that place??? Do you think he was on acid perchance?


 Hahaha


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## krisan (Jan 31, 2013)

what a beautiful place! love how colorful it is!


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## Simon_sanigar (Feb 3, 2013)

Such a shame to see the place looking the way it is! i was reading a while back that they was a group of people who were trying to restore the building, i did try and send an email to the people who were trying to save this but i never got a reply.


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## UrbanX (Feb 4, 2013)

Whoa! That's an explore and a half! What a space! 
Great photos, cheers for sharing.


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## sonyes (Feb 4, 2013)

That looks ace!!! Great report and pics


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## Bones out (Feb 4, 2013)

Now that, is what I need in my life...... 

Seriously like the look and architecture of this beauty.. 

Well captured that man.....


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## Arran82 (Feb 15, 2013)

bet that would have been amazing in it's day, shame.


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## DARREN138 (Feb 15, 2013)

*Amazing!!!!*

Great report there sir. For me,this is exactly the kind of posting that makes derelict places such a great place!!


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## Amy2597 (Feb 19, 2013)

How do you get in there?!


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## night crawler (Feb 19, 2013)

My my that has to be one of the most colourfull paces I have seen be a shame to loose a building like that.


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## prettyvacant71 (Feb 24, 2013)

wow from that external shot i wasn't expecting that!...some serious colours going on, i like it


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## Balloonatic (Feb 24, 2013)

Cool place!


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## Ellis (Feb 28, 2013)

Amazing! a true hidden gem, what ever did they think painting it those colours though!!


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