Empire & Playhouse

28 Cannon Street,
Aberdare, CF44

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Additional Info

Functions: Fraternal Hall

Previous Names: Palace Theatre of Varieties, New Empire Theatre, Empire Pictorium

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Empire & Playhouse

Opened on 15th March 1894 as the Aberdare Constitutional Club, it contained a hall on the first floor which was used for entertainment and events. In 1905 it became the Palace Theatre of Varieties, and in 1909 it became the New Empire Theatre. Soon it was screening films as the Empire Pictorium.

By 1934 it was known as the Empire & Playhouse, and was booking occasional films. It had been equipped with a British Acoustic(BA) sound system. The Empire & Playhouse was listed as (Closed) in the 1944 edition of Kinematograph Yearbook.

In the 1960’s the hall was used as a Go-Go Bar, and later as Decker’s Nightclub.

The building today is still in use by the Aberdare Constitutional Club.

Contributed by Ken Roe

Recent comments (view all 1 comments)

Biffaskin
Biffaskin on June 24, 2023 at 3:49 am

When known as the Empire Pictorium, this venue was being operated by Mr V.W. Rowe, who also operated the Electric Theatre at that time.

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