Hippodrome

The first building on this site was the Adelphi Music Hall, opened in 1868 and designed by a local barber who had premises on Manchester Street. It comprised of stalls, circle and private boxes. In the mid 1870s a wall collapsed, which was found to be caused by a road excavation. The Adelphi Music Hall and Entertainment Company floated 4000 shares at £1 to rebuild and enlarge the venue. The remnants of the structure were demolished in March 1875.

The ‘New Adelphi’ opened in August 1875 as a variety building of some grandeur: private boxes, centre boxes, pit, side balcony and upper balcony. In 1880 it had a short-lived run as a drama theatre, but it reverted to variety. It ran with popularity under a succession of owners, as its many names reflect, until 1919. It was then converted to the Victory Cinema.

The rendered façade, altered at ground floor level, stands intact in Union Street. The foyer now houses an amusement arcade; the cinema is not used as a public area.