Embassy Cinema

Grand opening ad posted

Named after Sir Henry Irving who laid the foundation stone on 11 October 1899, and who stipulated that his name could only be used if serious theatre was presented.
It was opened on 18 December 1899, and was one of James Kiernan’s theatres.
This was said to be the first Irving Theatre in the country and one wonders why Sir Henry allowed Liverpool-born James Kiernan this unique privilege, because Mr Kiernan had about half-a-dozen music halls but no legitimate theatres.
The architect may have been J H Havelock-Sutton, who is known to have worked for Mr Kiernan.
Sir Henry’s bust was in the circular frame on the facade.
After a fire in 1908 it reopened as the King’s Theatre (a music hall), never to be called the Irving again.
Films were first shown in 1904, and it became a full-time cinema – La Scala – in 1912.
A couple of years later it became a music hall called the Hippodrome.
Cine variety from 1936, when it was first called the Embassy.
In 1938 the interior was reconstructed as a cinema which closed in 1959 in favour of bingo, which continues to date.