County Cinema

Located in the Higher Broughton district of Salford, to the north of Manchester. The Empire Electric Theatre opened on 8th May 1913.

In 1922, the name was changed to Broughton Empire. The cinema went through seven changes of ownership, in 1923 to J.F. Emery Circuit, to Red Rose Cinemas Ltd in 1928; to Jefton Entertainments Ltd in 1935; then Shaws Amusements Ltd in 1941.

In 1951, the cinema went independent again under the ownership of Mr. Wild. By 1959, it became part of the G.B. Snape Group of Assoc. Cinema Companies circuit.

It closed as a cinema in 1966, becoming the County Bingo Club (what a refreshing change, wasn’t Britain "Bingo Mad" in the 1960’s?)

It closed as a bingo hall sometime later and then became a supermarket under the name of County Hall Market. That store closed a few years ago and the building lay empty and shuttered until it was re-opened as a children’s play area named Jump-in-Jacks. That had closed by August 2019 when the building was covered in scaffold.

Hopefully Salford Council will not preside over the demolition of yet another piece of our social history!

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