Hippodrome (Middlesbrough)

• Theatre ID
  2282
• Built / Converted
  1906
• Dates of use
  • 1910 - 1956: cinema with occasional variety
• Current state
  Extant
• Current use
  Licensed premises (Nightclub and bars) <br> (cinema from 1913; 1956 ballroom; 1968 social club)
• Address
  Wilson Street, Middlesbrough, Cleveland, England

Details

Exterior intact with a few extra entrance doors inserted in the rear wall of the stage. Faced in red brick and terra cotta, the main entrance at the rear auditorium end is flanked by two stocky towers with pyramidal roofs. Two storey, broad arched entrance with a large demi-lune fanlight. Above this, a three-bay top storey with bowed balustrades to each bay, the centre bay framed by coupled Ionic columns carrying a segmental pediment. Each of the two towers contains a window with features echoing the central window. At the stage end is a three storey dressing room block. There is no raised fly tower. The rear stage wall is completely plain and the lower half is metal clad. The auditorium was drastically streamlined in the 1930s and again in 1954. The two balcony fronts had all decoration stripped from them and the boxes were removed. The stage remained intact. More recently the auditorium has been further altered as two nightclubs. The Hippodrome has much in common with the Palace Warrington and the Civic (formerly Hippodrome) Darlington, and is unmistakeably by the same architect. The effect of the splendid façe has been marred by a flyover passing within yards of the building.

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• Other names
  Astoria Ballroom, The Venue, Wonderland Bingo Club, Showboat Social Club
• Events
  • 1910 - 1956 Use: cinema with occasional variety
  • 1906 Design/Construction:
    • G F Ward - Architect
  • 1913 Alteration: converted to cinema
    • Unknown - Architect
  • 1930 - 1939 Alteration: and auditorium altered
    • Unknown - Architect
  • 1956 Alteration: converted to ballroom
    • Unknown - Architect
  • 1968 Alteration: converted to social club
    • Unknown - Architect
  • Alteration: n.d. converted to nightclub
    • Unknown - Architect
  • 1906 Owner/Management: Hippodrome (Middlesbrough)
  • 1910 Owner/Management: Thompson Enterprises Ltd
  • 1928 - 1956 Owner/Management: Gaumont British
• Capacities
  • Original: 2800
  • Later: 1943: 1880
• Listings
  • Grade II - 28.7.1988
• Stage type
  • Rake
• Dimensions
  • Stage dimensions: d: 10.67m w: 22.86m
  • Proscenium width: 12.19m