The Empress Electric Theatre, 184 Mare Street, Hackney

Later - The Empress Theatre / Essoldo Cinema / Top Rank Bingo

See also in this area - The Hackney Empire

Above - The Empress Electric Theatre, Hackney in 1930 - From The Bioscope, 12th of November 1930.

The Empress Electric Theatre was situated on Mare Street Hackney, a short walk from the earlier Hackney Empire, and opened in May 1912. It was a reconstruction of a former Presbyterian Chapel with seating originally for around 900 people but enlarged in 1913 to accommodate around 1,000. Built as an early Cinema in the Beaux-Arts style it was run by the well known showman of the time Mr. A. Gilbert, who would go on to run it for many years afterwards.

Right - The Hackney Empress Electric Theatre Manager Mr. A. Gilbert - From the Kinematograph Weekly, 1st of March 1917.

In 1933 however, it was reconstructed, using only the outer walls of the earlier Theatre, transforming it into a large Super Cinema with full stage facilities. The new Theatre was designed by George Coles in the Art Deco Style with seating for 1,670 people on two levels, Stalls and Circle, and had a Compton Theatre Organ installed.

The Theatre's new Facade was very different to the earlier Theatre as can be seen in the two images below.

Above - The Facade of the 1912 Empress Electric Theatre, Hackney and its proposed 1933 Rebuilt Facade - From the Kinematograph Weekly, 26th of January 1933.

The new Theatre had been reported on briefly in the Kinematograph Weekly of the 26th of January 1933 saying:- 'Hackney is at last to have its super kinema, and this will be erected on the site of the old Empress Cinema, Mare Street. The proprietor is Montague Cohen, who has for many years been associated with the present theatre.

The architect is George Coles, F.R.I.B.A. The new theatre will accommodate over 2,500 persons on stalls and balcony levels. Suitable waiting lounges will be provided, and the comforts of the patrons are being catered for in a manner that has never before been attempted in this neighbourhood.

The accompanying sketches show the front facade of the present theatre, and also the front elevation to Mare Street of the new theatre. This elevation has been designed particularly to provide proper scope for decorative lighting, and will strike quite a new note in this respect. The consulting engineer is Basil Davis, A.M.I.E.E. The old theatre will be closed in a few weeks' time, when the demolition and reconstruction will be commenced.' - The Kinematograph Weekly, 26th of January 1933.

The new Theatre was opened by the Mayor of Hackney on Monday the 4th of September 1933 and kept the earlier Theatre's name, but in 1944 this was simplified to the Empress Theatre. It was Independently Operated from its opening until it was taken over by the Essoldo Circuit in 1955 and renamed as such.

Right - A Google StreetView Image of the site of the former Empress Electric Theatre, Hackney in October 2024 - Click to Interact.

Essoldo closed the Theatre in 1967 and it then went over to Bingo as a Top Rank Bingo Club which remained in operation for many years, only closing in 1993. The Theatre was demolished two years later in 1995. A Student Housing building was then erected on its site.

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