27-05-2025
Iconic theatre where film & TV legends including Ken Dodd & Charlie Chaplin once performed left abandoned for 17 years
HAUNTING IMAGES have emerged of a once-iconic theatre which featured legends including Ken Dodd and Charlie Chaplin.
Images of the abandoned Tameside Hippodrome in Manchester show the venue riddled with peeling wallpaper, dusty seats and worn carpets.
4
4
Eerie snaps also show the former control room stuffed with technical equipment as well as a refreshment stand complete with a price list of available drinks and snacks when revellers packed the venue.
The images were captured by Urban Explorer Chloe Urbex.
The gaff was designed by architect William Barlow and opened to the public in 1903.
It was initially used as a theatre where it was used to house music hall acts, pantomimes and live performances.
Three decades later, it was renovated and became a cinema when the popularity of film exploded.
However, the spot fell into disrepair during the 1970s when appetite for film started to decline but was restored a decade later.
It reopened in 1993, this time as the Tameside Hippodrome operating as a theatre once again, hosting a variety of events including plays, musicals, and concerts.
The theatre's restoration efforts aimed to preserve its Edwardian features while modernising its facilities.
'I found it online and just climbed in an open window,' said Chloe.
'The atmosphere was quite scary as I went during the storm.
Inside eerie hidden tunnels beneath busy street in Glasgow city centre
'The place is now decayed, eerie inside.
'It is like a time capsule.
'I love capturing the decay of places like this.
'I felt happy getting to document the hippodrome.
'Originally opened as the Ashton Hippodrome in 1903, the building was designed by architect William Barlow and served as a theatre.
'It was a popular venue for music hall acts, pantomimes, and live performances.
'Other people think the photos are cool.
'There were some scary moments with pigeons flying around it sounded like people were inside.
'The interesting thing about the explore was that it was relatively in good condition, it has been abandoned since 2008.'
4
