Hippodrome

The Hippodrome was built as a 'twice nightly' theatre in 1938, next door to the Plaza and opposite the Odeon Cinema. It replaced the Opera House, destroyed by fire in 1936, on the same site. Externally like a super cinema of the time, in buff brick. At the centre, above the canopy, there were originally glazed, now blind, panels between the brick end bays, divided by two tall brick mullions. Above this a deep brick attic is divided by five horizontal bands. The name HIPPODROME in a central panel has been removed. Plain flank. Fly tower. The Hippodrome has a small foyer. The fan-shaped auditorium was little altered for bingo use. The stalls rake rises to a rear terrace, and there is a single, steeply raked, deep balcony. The square proscenium has a moulded architrave, and the ceiling and walls have simple moulded ornamentation. Major adaptations have been made within the stage house. The building was well maintained whilst in bingo use until 2009, and the interior still has a theatrical 'feel'. It would be possible to return it to live use, but it would be necessary to remove the structural steelwork inserted in the fly tower. The stage is quite shallow, but there is open land at the rear, providing the opportunity to enlarge the stage house. However, the building has been vacant since bingo closed and considered under threat of demolition since its purchase by Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council in November 2010.