Apollo Theatre
The theatre was initially built as a cinema to stage live acts. It was designed by architects Alex M. Irvine and Peter Cummings in 1938. The interior of the Apollo was designed by renowned interior designers Mollo and Egan, while R. Gillespie Williams was entrusted with designing the lighting. The Apollo now acts as a live concert hall. The Apollo is located between the corner of Stockport Road and Hyde road at Ardwick green. It is an L-Shaped structure that has a capacity to hold about 3000 people.
The seating arrangement in the auditorium features stalls and circle levels. When it was built, the Apollo Theatre had a provision of a café and ballroom. The Associated British Cinemas (ABC) took over the running of the Apollo in 1943 and it would later be renamed as ABC Ardwick in 1962. The theatre was later to be taken over by an independent operator in 1977 and it started hosting concerts and films, although films were eventually dropped. The theatre would change hands again and it was operated by Apollo leisure, and later by Live nation. It is now independently operated and is now known as 02 Apollo Manchester. The building has been listed as a Grade II listed building.
Years of neglect meant that the Apollo suffered both in its interior and exterior. This has been mostly blamed for lack of regular maintenance. Its ballroom is now mainly used as a club, and it even has a small stage for live performances. The restaurant is now used as a seat store. However, measures are now being carried out to perform maintenance works and refurbishments to at least improve the condition of the Apollo. While the Apollo surely needs refurbishments and especially its air conditioning, it still remains intact and is still a major attraction for fans, especially those interested in experiencing its past glory and the live music it has to offer.
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The seating arrangement in the auditorium features stalls and circle levels. When it was built, the Apollo Theatre had a provision of a café and ballroom. The Associated British Cinemas (ABC) took over the running of the Apollo in 1943 and it would later be renamed as ABC Ardwick in 1962. The theatre was later to be taken over by an independent operator in 1977 and it started hosting concerts and films, although films were eventually dropped. The theatre would change hands again and it was operated by Apollo leisure, and later by Live nation. It is now independently operated and is now known as 02 Apollo Manchester. The building has been listed as a Grade II listed building.
Years of neglect meant that the Apollo suffered both in its interior and exterior. This has been mostly blamed for lack of regular maintenance. Its ballroom is now mainly used as a club, and it even has a small stage for live performances. The restaurant is now used as a seat store. However, measures are now being carried out to perform maintenance works and refurbishments to at least improve the condition of the Apollo. While the Apollo surely needs refurbishments and especially its air conditioning, it still remains intact and is still a major attraction for fans, especially those interested in experiencing its past glory and the live music it has to offer.
Follow this link to view our home page.
Up next, information on Old Trafford Stadium.
