News: Spotlight on efforts to turn former Rotherham cinema into a live music and community arts venue
A "maltreated" former theatre in Rotherham town centre could be about to take centre stage again as a community arts and dedicated live music venue.
Rothbiz reported last year on the former cinema known as the Essoldo building and Essoldo Chambers where letting documents showed that the proposal for "The New Empire Building" is to create "a music venue/bar/food court/co-working development with units of varying sizes."
The building on Ship Hill / High Street was built in 1913 as the Empire Theatre. It has since operated as a cinema, snooker hall and nightclub.
With Mark McGrail of SME Environmental Services and Branch Developments Ltd already working on the interior of the building, uncovering period features and layers of its past, a new community interest company (CIC) has been formed for when the work is complete, hopefully later this year.
A CIC is a special type of limited company which exists to benefit the community rather than private shareholders. Expertise has been brought in with Chris Hamby (who led a heritage regeneration project on Rotherham's High Street) and David Plumtree (owner of Scunthorpe's top independent music and food venue, Cafe Indie). They join McGrail who has helped to regenerate the former Post Office and the George Wright building in Rotherham town centre.
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On the former Empire Theatre, the CIC said: "We plan to develop the building into a multi-purpose community arts venue catering for the people of Rotherham and South Yorkshire. Rotherham has a lack of venues and no dedicated live music venue. There are limited spaces where large groups of people can come together - for leisure, cultural and social purposes.
"Bringing the space into modern use will enhance the local offer, improve the artistic infrastructure of the town and offer new generations the opportunity to experience and participate in the arts."
Having looked at the same building, Rotherham Council has switched its focus to the Alma Tavern, which the authority owns, as a potential live music venue, backed by £4.5m of government funding.
This cinema building was designed by architects Chadwick and Watson, opening in 1913 under the name of the Empire Theatre. By 1929 it had become part of the ABC cinema chain and subsequently became part of the Essoldo chain in 1954. It became the Classic Cinema in 1972 and subsequently a Cannon Cinema in 1988 before closing in 1990 to become a nightclub and snooker club.
The last part of the building in operation was The Amber Lounge, a contemporary cocktail / champagne bar. It went by many names as a nightclub including New York, New York, Beach, Blu Bambu, Synergy, Pop and Hub.
The CIC added: "People from all over Rotherham have a memory of, and connection to, this building. Built in the early 1900s, the Rotherham Empire is of architectural importance - housing the first cantilever beams (designed by a local architect) that created the impressive 'Gods' - the building's uppermost balcony.
"Throughout its life it has been a theatre, a cinema and a leisure venue that different generations have engaged with, attended cultural events at, even met their spouses at or formed core memories in the space.
"Over the years it has fallen into disrepair and the building has been maltreated by previous owners. But recently, it has taken on by a loving owner keen to restore the Rotherham Empire to its former glory and have the building belong to the people of Rotherham.
"By unearthing the original features and working through a process of respectful, restoration we will celebrate the buildings heritage, re-engaging the community in the space and telling an important part of the story of Rotherham Town Centre. This will encourage the local community to explore and celebrate its history and feel more pride in their town and its resources."
A community open day, where visitors can also lend a hand with the clean up, is taking place on Saturday February 15, starting at 12.
Rotherham Empire on Facebook
Images: Google Maps / Branch Developments
Rothbiz reported last year on the former cinema known as the Essoldo building and Essoldo Chambers where letting documents showed that the proposal for "The New Empire Building" is to create "a music venue/bar/food court/co-working development with units of varying sizes."
The building on Ship Hill / High Street was built in 1913 as the Empire Theatre. It has since operated as a cinema, snooker hall and nightclub.
With Mark McGrail of SME Environmental Services and Branch Developments Ltd already working on the interior of the building, uncovering period features and layers of its past, a new community interest company (CIC) has been formed for when the work is complete, hopefully later this year.
A CIC is a special type of limited company which exists to benefit the community rather than private shareholders. Expertise has been brought in with Chris Hamby (who led a heritage regeneration project on Rotherham's High Street) and David Plumtree (owner of Scunthorpe's top independent music and food venue, Cafe Indie). They join McGrail who has helped to regenerate the former Post Office and the George Wright building in Rotherham town centre.
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On the former Empire Theatre, the CIC said: "We plan to develop the building into a multi-purpose community arts venue catering for the people of Rotherham and South Yorkshire. Rotherham has a lack of venues and no dedicated live music venue. There are limited spaces where large groups of people can come together - for leisure, cultural and social purposes.
"Bringing the space into modern use will enhance the local offer, improve the artistic infrastructure of the town and offer new generations the opportunity to experience and participate in the arts."
Having looked at the same building, Rotherham Council has switched its focus to the Alma Tavern, which the authority owns, as a potential live music venue, backed by £4.5m of government funding.
The last part of the building in operation was The Amber Lounge, a contemporary cocktail / champagne bar. It went by many names as a nightclub including New York, New York, Beach, Blu Bambu, Synergy, Pop and Hub.
"Throughout its life it has been a theatre, a cinema and a leisure venue that different generations have engaged with, attended cultural events at, even met their spouses at or formed core memories in the space.
"Over the years it has fallen into disrepair and the building has been maltreated by previous owners. But recently, it has taken on by a loving owner keen to restore the Rotherham Empire to its former glory and have the building belong to the people of Rotherham.
"By unearthing the original features and working through a process of respectful, restoration we will celebrate the buildings heritage, re-engaging the community in the space and telling an important part of the story of Rotherham Town Centre. This will encourage the local community to explore and celebrate its history and feel more pride in their town and its resources."
A community open day, where visitors can also lend a hand with the clean up, is taking place on Saturday February 15, starting at 12.
Rotherham Empire on Facebook
Images: Google Maps / Branch Developments
24 comments:
Community arts centre!😵💫👎
Would this idea not have been better backed by the council rather than the Alma project?
Great news for the town and another opportunity for the moaners.
I'd keep the council well away from anything that you'd be interested in going too or be looking at being successful,they only seem to do air brain ideas for minority groups.....like non existent cyclists!
The Alma project is replacing the marquee stage at the Cutlers Arms which has been established bringing live music to the town for over 10 years ,bands such as Big country, Neville staple from the Specials, The skids plus many more ,it will be a modern 500 capacity venue and will attract bigger bands and a great venue for the town
Can we support 2 venues?
Aimed at different markets
If cyclists are non existent in Rotherham, how is it that James' Cycles continues to flourish?
Same live music market ....as I said can we support 2 venues.
They rely heavily on sales to non existent cyclists!
They’ll have even more custom since the Wellgate cycle lane helped to finish off Sondec Cycles.
Anyway, a large proportion of the bikes they sell will be for off road use, mountain, gravel and cyclocross bikes.
Big Country, Neville Staples and the Skids....so bands that were relevant 40 years ago?
Not according to the sales manager
If you have to tell people which band someone was in I'm guessing they probably aren't relevant tbh.
Sondec were struggling well before the cycle lanes came along
Re: Comments about "can Rotherham sustain two live music venues" - I can't see why not.
Depending on what's being hosted there, the two might compliment each other and bring a bit more footfall into the town and it will help to inject a bit more life into the nightlife economy.
Hence why I said 'helped to finish off'
Having spent many happy hours there when the building was a cinema, I welcome any attempts to restore and bring it back into use. Some people on here constantly bemoan the fact that buildings are empty and constantly criticise their restoration when the end use doesn't suit them.
Rothbiz malcontents!
So meaningless and unsubstantiated drivel then?
Been a good news week all in all
It was nice to see members of the local community helping to clean up the old lady.
Nice to see. I also remember the Empire cinema. Loved it in the Gods
Some great names appeared there when it was a theatre
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