Thanks to the good people at the Pirate Cafe
, Mr Camouflage who let me in and Luke
for being so kind and crankin out some seriously cool tunes on the decks, filling the theatre with the echoes of dub. Thanks for keepin this beautiful building safe folks! Tbolts first class report reminded me that this place had dropped off my radar, the last I had heard it was sealed up a couple of years ago, so I was really surprised to see the some photographs from inside and just had to try and see this place for myself.
Recent events at the Hulme Hippodrome...
For the last several months the Hippodrome has become the home for a group of artists and musicians who have turned this place into a community centre for the local residents, whilst improving the stereotypical negative views of squatting. The group is linked to artist collective “Loose Space”, whose members were recently evicted from the former Cornerhouse and Hotspur Press buildings.
They have spent time cleaning up the theatre as it was full of debris and dead pigeons and are also running a soup kitchen, The Pirate Cafe for the homeless. It’s amazing what people with a passion and positive energy can achieve. I think these kinds of initiatives should be encouraged and assisted by the local councils and not hampered by red tape. I know it’s not always practical, but with the will and determination these types of empty buildings can be used in a beneficial sense rather than lying empty a waiting the next arson attack or metal theft, thus rendering them only fit for demo.
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The building is currently owned by the Gilbert Deya Ministries - a controversial group affiliated to ‘miracle’ preacher Gilbert Deya, but the occupiers have not heard anything from members of the church group, which bought the building back in 1999 and held church services in the foyer for years.
Deya, a man who reportedly claimed he could help infertile couples have ‘miracle babies’, visited Hulme last year for ‘Seven days of unusual miracles’. In July he was extradited to his native Kenya to face accusations he stole children as proof of miracles. He denies the charges. But the preacher’s influence can be found throughout the building. Dozens of his books titled ‘The Solution to Financial Prosperity’ litter the floors and aisles of the theatre. (The Manchester Evening News)
Some less recent history...
The Hulme Hippodrome was originally known as the Grand Junction Theatre and Floral Hall, which opened in Manchester in 1901 and was designed by the architect J.J. Alley.
It was last used as a theatre in the 1960s, from the mid-1970s until its closure in 1988 it was used as bingo hall. Since then most of the building has remained empty, and it has been placed on Manchester City Council's Buildings at Risk Register.
The Friends of Hulme Hippodrome had hoped to get the building listed as an asset of community value which would have given the community group six months to raise the money needed to buy the building from the owner before it went out to general market. The application, however, was turned down by Manchester City Council. A council spokesman said: "There would also be a significant cost to bring the building back into use, into the millions, and without a business plan in place it would be unfair for us to assume they could turn the building around.
The building which was bought by the church for £200,000 was due to be auctioned in May 2017 at the Macron Stadium, Bolton, with a guide price of £300,000. (wiki)
So on with some scenes that greeted me...
_MG_7205 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
_MG_7214 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
_MG_7219 by Pretty Vacant, on FlickrThe colours in here are just spectacular!
_MG_7221 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
_MG_7248 by Pretty Vacant, on FlickrInto the bowls of the theatre, beneath the stage
_MG_7242 by Pretty Vacant, on FlickrGlimpses of its previous use before the religious sect took it over
_MG_7241 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
_MG_7237 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
_MG_7222 by Pretty Vacant, on FlickrI just love whatever this strange electrical cabinet holds within. I would gladly offer it a home and daily worship its bulbous glass vacuums, I want it, badly
_MG_7228 by Pretty Vacant, on FlickrNow you want it donÂ’t you!
I would turn these wonderful bulbs into some kind of vibrant sparkling plasma balls, they would come alive and feel the power of electricity again! Can anybody please tell me what the hell they are??? They obviously get very hot hence the fans beneath, are they some kind of glass valve? I hope they are donated to some museum of industry and preserved as they are truly fabulous, f00kin awesome really!
_MG_7251 by Pretty Vacant, on FlickrOld porcelain urinals also have a certain charm about them...but I don't suppose everyone can see that
_MG_7259 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
_MG_7261 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
_MG_7264 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
_MG_7270 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
_MG_7279 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
_MG_7285 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
_MG_7287 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
_MG_7288 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
_MG_7298 by Pretty Vacant, on FlickrJust one of the many boxes of paraphernalia left behind from the religious cult
_MG_7301 by Pretty Vacant, on FlickrI sat here for a good hour just chillin to the tunes, fink I might crashed out at one point, dub bounces around the space, it's like being on a boat
_MG_7314 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
_MG_7315 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
_MG_7322 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
_MG_7323 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
_MG_7327 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
_MG_7332 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
_MG_7344 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
_MG_7389 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
_MG_7340 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
_MG_7395 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
_MG_7382 by Pretty Vacant, on FlickrOne of the 2 original theatre dressing rooms.
_MG_7380 by Pretty Vacant, on FlickrHere’s the other one...
_MG_7398 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
_MG_7364 by Pretty Vacant, on FlickrThanks for takin a look peeps, be lucky now
got these 2 chaps in a report too
proper happy hehehe
