Manchester's lost city-centre cinemas now confined to history

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

Long before streaming services such as Netflix, Disney+, Hulu and Amazon Prime Video, cinemas were the place to see the latest blockbusters and new films.

Across Mancheste r city-centre alone, there were numerous cinemas to choose from that provided a backdrop for first dates, school trips and special family occasions. Going back a century ago, local picture houses made Manchester a haven for film-lovers.

But over the generations, many have been lost and are now confined to history. Some cinemas were completely demolished, whereas others were converted or refurbished for entirely different purposes.

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We take a look at some of our lost city-centre picture houses and what has become of them now. These are sure to bring back many fond memories.

This list isn't intended to be comprehensive. But if there's a lost city-centre cinema you think we should have included, let us know in the comments section.

Built in the Italian Renaissance style by the Granada Group, the Gaumont opened in 1935 on the site of the former Hippodrome, Oxford Street. Known for having one of the longest licensed bars in the North, many popular films enjoyed long runs in its auditorium.

Amongst those were The Sound of Music, which ran for two years in the 1960s. But by January 1974, the cinema closed down and ground floor and basement later became Rotters Nightclub.

The building was demolished in 1990. A multi-storey car park now stands in its place.

Another Oxford Street picture house was the Cameo Cinema. It opened as the Manchester News Theatre in December 1936 and is said to have shown newsreels, short subjects and cartoons.

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