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The Empire Theatre was built in 1893 by Wylson and Long at a cost of £40,000 and originally opened as the Empire Palace of Varieties with seating for some 2,530 people. It was here that a young Cary Grant had his first show business job as a lime-lighter. The pub next door to the Empire, called the White Hart, acquired its ornate frontage in 1893 when it was incorporated into the Empire Theatre. Because the Theatre was not licensed to sell alcohol the audience would rush into the White Hart pub next door as soon as the show had closed.

In the 1920s and 30s the Theatre was home to some of the biggest names in the business such as Flanagan and Allen, Gracie Fields, Gertie Gitana, and Old Mother Riley but it wasn't long before films started to be shown in the afternoons with musical revues in the evenings.

The Theatre was taken over by ABC Cinemas in 1931 for the showing of films but at the outbreak of war in 1939 saw the screen removed and twice-nightly live shows returning to the Theatre. After the war however the Empire sunk to showing so called 'Girlie Shows' and was eventually taken over by the Bristol Corporation and then the lease was sold to the BBC in 1954.

The Theatre was demolished in the early 1960s and the site was eventually covered by a roundabout and flyover.

Some of the above information was kindly sent in by Dave Baxter.

If you have any more information or images for this Theatre that you are willing to share please Contact me.