The Theatre with 3 Names

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Uploaded on: October 14, 2015

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When, in 1968, Essoldo Ltd decided to rename the Hippodrome, Dovecote Street the ‘Essoldo’ (The Cinema, High Street which bore the Company name had been on bingo for four years by this time), they never got around to removing ‘Hippodrome’ from the corner canopy. To compound matters further, when Classic acquired this and the rest of the Essoldo circuit in 1972, it took them several months to change the main signage. They did, however, plaster the name ‘Classic’ everywhere else possible and there were then 3 names to choose from when visiting the Dovecote Street theatre.

When some old hack in the local press suggested that it be known as the ‘Hippessoldic’, Classic suddenly found the money to change the fin sign and remove ‘Hippodrome’ from the canopy.

Essoldo were rather prone to leaving former names on their cinemas, other examples in the North East being Bishop Auckland (Hippodrome) and Gateshead (Empire).