Report - Theatre Royal, Hyde - March 2016

[Exploring with Andy]

Opening in 1902, the Theatre Royal in Hyde was a replacement for an older theatre nearby of the same name. The theatre was built by S. Robinson and Sons of Hyde to the design of Campbell and Horsley of Manchester and could seat 1400 people. Two balconies curve round to meet the proscenium, the stage area was large and included a host of dressing rooms to one side. In 1914 a movable screen was added onto the stage to enable the theatre to operate as a part-time cinema.

The popularity of live performances declined in the 1970s so the decision was made to convert the theatre to cinema-only use. In 1972 the main auditorium was used as a full-time cinema screen, with the stage area being converted into a second screen.

The cinema closed in the 1990s when the London-based owners uncovered fraudulent activity taking place there. They considered the theatre a liability and the final film was shown in August 1993, despite being full.

Visited with @SpiderMonkey

 

[projectionman]

excellent report i spent every sunday and monday night up there with arthur on my nights off from the metro cinema ashton its a shame to see it in such a state but considering its been closed a long time its not that bad most of it is flaking paint thanks for the report before the cimema closed the westar projector on the far left developed a fault and they wouldnt have it repaired so arthur rigged up some rollers and ran the tower on the next machine using carbons somewhere in the theatre is a bar that connects the 2 kalee projectors so 3 d films can e rum the green reel on one machine and the red reel on the other

 

[Highway_Star]

With Kalees on that rake I'll bet the floor is swimming with oil!

 

[WhoDerpsWins]

Stunning place that. Beautiful photos. Love seeing cinemas like this with the projectors still in situ.

 

[Exploring with Andy]

excellent report i spent every sunday and monday night up there with arthur on my nights off from the metro cinema ashton its a shame to see it in such a state but considering its been closed a long time its not that bad most of it is flaking paint thanks for the report before the cimema closed the westar projector on the far left developed a fault and they wouldnt have it repaired so arthur rigged up some rollers and ran the tower on the next machine using carbons somewhere in the theatre is a bar that connects the 2 kalee projectors so 3 d films can e rum the green reel on one machine and the red reel on the other

Thanks for the info, very interesting bit of history there. I'm curious as to why there were three projectors, what did the one on the left do that the Kalee projectors didn't?

 

[GK_WAX]

You know it's a good splore when you see the projectors and film reels, good work Andy

 

[dweeb]

What a beauty... looking like the water is getting in more and more as time goes on.

 

[projectionman]

With Kalees on that rake I'll bet the floor is swimming with oil!

Thanks for the info, very interesting bit of history there. I'm curious as to why there were three projectors, what did the one on the left do that the Kalee projectors didn't?

the westar on the left was installed because they had 2 screens and arthur the projectionist went into hospital for awhile so it was easier to run 2 screens with westar projectors and towers than run one screen on changeovers every 50 mins thats what the kalees did just so it made it easier for one man to operate both cinemas

 

[projectionman]

With Kalees on that rake I'll bet the floor is swimming with oil!

they did have trays under them ha ha

 

[flighty]

I remember seeing a film here before it closed and the rake of the screen was extreme and the same as the rake of the projectors. (The projection box was up in the Gods so the projectors had to be angled downwards at this angle.)
I was in the circle and the angle of the screen was off putting but for someone in the stalls the film would have been almost unwatchable!

 

[BrainL]

You've done an amazing job lighting this place Andy!! Was in there this morning but was rudely interrupted by the coppers and only got one shot

 

[Speed]

Great! that's that one screwed then.

 

[BrainL]

Great! that's that one screwed then.

Happens to the best of us doesn't it?? We're not invisible and if somebody spots us going in theres nothing we can do about it really is there?

 

[Speed]

Yeh but you know full well people will have been in and out at silly times in full view of onlookers when really it's easy to avoid being spotted by just putting a bit of effot in.. Never mind tho, theres plenty of pictures out there.

 

[BrainL]

Yeh but you know full well people will have been in and out at silly times in full view of onlookers when really it's easy to avoid being spotted by just putting a bit of effot in.. Never mind tho, theres plenty of pictures out there.

Well seen as I left my house at 3am this morning to avoid just that happening I put as much effort in as I could, it was well before dawn when we got there. There really was nothing we could have done to prevent it, just bad luck.. The first time and hopefully the last time that happens..