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Report - - New Olympia Cinema, Todmorden - February 2016 | Theatres and Cinemas | 28DaysLater.co.uk

Report - New Olympia Cinema, Todmorden - February 2016

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ladybrade

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
Opened in 1932 to replace Todmorden’s original Olympia Theatre (first built an ice-skating rink in 1909), the New Olympia was a classic example of British Art Deco picture house design. With its central location, full stage and larger seating capacity than Todmorden’s other theatres, the venue soon earned a reputation as ‘the best in town.’

By 1955, it has been taken over by Leeds-based Star Cinema chain and limped on for 11 more years until it closed in 1966, mirroring the general decline for single-screen cinemas in the UK.

The New Olympia was used as a Star Bingo Club for several years before its elegant Art Deco interior was ripped out to make way for a Kwik Save supermarket. Little did shoppers realise, as they collected their weekly groceries, that the space above their heads was presided over by the ghostly cinema that had entertained Todmorden’s residents for decades.

Derelict since 2007, the abandoned cinema faces demolition in order to build an ASDA supermarket. I believe it has now been demolished along with Harold Shipman’s Surgery next door (again, can anyone confirm this?).

I believe people have been trying to get in for years to no prevail, so we were lucky that the place was a building site and a shutter had been left open. Again, apologies for the image quality, my camera battery had died.

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BrainL

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
WOW that's in a right state now!!! May be a different theatre you are thinking of around nobody being in as I know a few people who were in here last year.. never stayed open long though with the cop shop being over the road :(
 

ladybrade

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
Cool place, shame it's a tad stripped though. Loving all these cinema reports of recent.
Yeah, it's been left for too long. It's a shame its been / being knocked down, but theres not much left to see now! I am too, love cinemas.
 

ladybrade

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
WOW that's in a right state now!!! May be a different theatre you are thinking of around nobody being in as I know a few people who were in here last year.. never stayed open long though with the cop shop being over the road :(
It is indeed, not great. I think we just got lucky that it was a sunday and being knocked down, a few people have been caught trying to get in!
 

Bolts

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
Not sure why all these people are bothering trying to get in haha, it's a right mess
 

Cjurbex

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
nice pics lady brade, i live near and its such a shame i got into this stuff after this was demolished :( looks awesome!
 

ladybrade

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
Funnily enough me and SL managed a good poke about here in 2010

You related to Stranton per-chance ?

I wish I'd have seen it when it was less destroyed, I can imagine it was beautiful!

No I'm not, aha. Why'd you ask?
 

Cjurbex

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
Oh, that is a shame! Harold Shipman's GP surgery was also next door and got demolished at the same time. That was an interesting explore!
yeah i know i bet they were! to me they were just buildings but ive not been doing this stuff long and typical as soon as i get into it these 2 buildings are gone! we are doing fothergill mill soon in littlebrough if you know it? its not far from me :)
 

badger11

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
Bloody lovely place but i'm sure when I left tod in 1968 the cinema was still open.
Remember saturday matinees there 3d entrance and 3d for a fab lolly god i'm getting old :D
 
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