I had passed this place a few times recently and decided finally to go and have a look! It did not disappoint and made for a perfect sunday.
Opened in 1899 as the Lyceum in Eccles, This iconic Theatre was designed as a home for Shakespearian performances. But with the advent of music hall it very quickly became home to variety shows changing ownership and names in 1907 when it became the Crown Theatre.
In 1932 the 2,500 capacity theatre was converted into a cinema but in 1963 it went the way of many such buildings and became a bingo hall. A section of the theatre was demolished before closing forever.
The site has been closed since the 1980s. It had already begun to fall into ruin. It was listed in 2003 and added to the Theatre's trust at Risk list in 2012. The once stunning proscenium arch inside the theatre depicted Shakespeare's Seven Ages of Man but stained glass windows of poets and playwrights installed by the original owner in his bid to educate the poor were removed during a refit several decades ago and sent to America. In 2013 fire crew were called to an arson attack on the building which effected the first and second floor balconies. The Crown is a landmark building in the town of Eccles in a vaguely Elizabethan Style with pilasters and mullioned windows. The facade is constructed of moulded red brick of five storeys with terracotta dressings to three high arched windows at first floor. It is richly decorated, and has an asymmetrically placed short corner tower. This once had a pyramidal roof and the parapet was topped with square pinnacles. Becoming a cinema in 1932, it was later adapted for Cinemascope, ending stage use. Converted for bingo in 1963, by the late 1980s it was reported to be falling into disrepair internally. The exterior is largely intact, apart from the stage house which has been partly demolished. Planning permission was given in 2005 – and again in 2008 – for partial demolition (retaining the facade) and development of apartments behind. These works have not been started, and the building remains empty and increasingly derelict.
It is truly a marvellous building but sadly - seriously fucked! The stage has long gone having been replaced with daylight and a brick pile, we can only hope that a solution is found and it could be restored back to at least, close to its' original glory!
The front facade! Do as it says people:
Lobby Stairs!
Wide shot 1:
From the projection room:
The projection room:
Up in the Gods:
Landing:
Wide shot2:
Stairway Decor:
The roof has long gone:
Shiney uplighters:
What the actors / Bingo callers would have seen:
Have you hit it?
Higher view:
The cheap seats:
Opened in 1899 as the Lyceum in Eccles, This iconic Theatre was designed as a home for Shakespearian performances. But with the advent of music hall it very quickly became home to variety shows changing ownership and names in 1907 when it became the Crown Theatre.
In 1932 the 2,500 capacity theatre was converted into a cinema but in 1963 it went the way of many such buildings and became a bingo hall. A section of the theatre was demolished before closing forever.
The site has been closed since the 1980s. It had already begun to fall into ruin. It was listed in 2003 and added to the Theatre's trust at Risk list in 2012. The once stunning proscenium arch inside the theatre depicted Shakespeare's Seven Ages of Man but stained glass windows of poets and playwrights installed by the original owner in his bid to educate the poor were removed during a refit several decades ago and sent to America. In 2013 fire crew were called to an arson attack on the building which effected the first and second floor balconies. The Crown is a landmark building in the town of Eccles in a vaguely Elizabethan Style with pilasters and mullioned windows. The facade is constructed of moulded red brick of five storeys with terracotta dressings to three high arched windows at first floor. It is richly decorated, and has an asymmetrically placed short corner tower. This once had a pyramidal roof and the parapet was topped with square pinnacles. Becoming a cinema in 1932, it was later adapted for Cinemascope, ending stage use. Converted for bingo in 1963, by the late 1980s it was reported to be falling into disrepair internally. The exterior is largely intact, apart from the stage house which has been partly demolished. Planning permission was given in 2005 – and again in 2008 – for partial demolition (retaining the facade) and development of apartments behind. These works have not been started, and the building remains empty and increasingly derelict.
It is truly a marvellous building but sadly - seriously fucked! The stage has long gone having been replaced with daylight and a brick pile, we can only hope that a solution is found and it could be restored back to at least, close to its' original glory!
The front facade! Do as it says people:
Lobby Stairs!
Wide shot 1:
From the projection room:
The projection room:
Up in the Gods:
Landing:
Wide shot2:
Stairway Decor:
The roof has long gone:
Shiney uplighters:
What the actors / Bingo callers would have seen:
Have you hit it?
Higher view:
The cheap seats:
