Chorley Theatre

Opened on 3 September 1910 as The New Electric Empire Theatre, run by the Perfecto Filmographic Co. Ltd, who had previously owned the Picture Palace in Mealhouse Lane. The building is sandwiched between Dole Lane and Peter Street, with the main entrance at the corner.

The original building boasted 'three entrances and four wide exits'. At some point, possibly during the 1920s, a new entrance was created in a building behind the theatre at the crook of Dole Lane. This entrance leads to the backstage areas, and is stone-faced, in a somewhat Georgian style, with decorative wreaths and the word EMPIRE in the gable.

An early photograph of the main (corner) façade shows exits with arched windows above on the angled edges, and the 6', 4' and 3' entrances through doors in the centre, with EMPIRE in stained glass above and an oriel window projecting over. This has changed in the intervening years, both arched windows and the left hand exit now bricked up, the oriel window removed and replaced with a plain wall and new signage for the theatre. The glazed entrance doors have been replaced, and are covered and lit by a tiled porch roof. The original EMPIRE stained glass panel remains.

Entrance to the rear of the auditorium is via each end of the foyer. The auditorium seats 236 (plus three wheelchair spaces) on a slight rake, with the control room/projection box behind and above the back row. Behind the proscenium stage are dressing rooms, green room and wardrobe/props rooms, and at stage right is the entrance to the Empire Bar.

Following the discovery in 2010 of a rotting girder in the roof, CADOS closed the theatre for a brief time to undertake repair works and other improvements, including an extension to the bar, new dressing rooms and a rehearsal room, green room, new wardrobe room and a third floor of storage. The £100,000 project was completed externally with new paintwork and brand new signage on the façade.

It a busy venue, hosting not only the CADOS productions, but Chorley Youth Theatre, comedy and live music, and cinema courtesy of the Chorley Empire Community Cinema. The building is owned by CADOS, and run entirely by volunteers.

In 2020, Chorley Little Theatre was renamed Chorley Theatre. In 2021 the venue opened its new Studio, seating up to 100 people with a bar area and toilets. It sits next door to the theatre on the site of a former Indian restaurant and will play host to special events, rehearsals, community groups, music, plays and comedy.