The Grosvenor Picture Palace, later known as the Footage, is a former cinema and pub at the corner of Grosvenor Street and Oxford Road in Chorlton-on-Medlock, Manchester, United Kingdom. Built in 1913–15, it was the largest cinema outside London in its day. It was later a Stonegate pub which closed in 2024.
The cinema opened on 19 May 1915, featuring Blanche Forsythe in Jane Shore;[3] it was described at the time as "Roman-Corinthian of the later Renaissance influence".[6] It dates from the period when the first permanent cinemas were being built, with the distinctive design acting as "ostentatious advertising".[7] The cinema had a capacity of just under 1000 people,[6] making it the largest cinema outside London in its day.[8] A billiard hall was installed in the basement in the 1930s.[2][5]
In 1990, the building became a Firkin Brewery pub called the Flea and Firkin, described in the Rough Guide as a "predominantly student-filled beer-hall-style pub with brewery on site."[4] The public house was renamed to the Footage and Firkin[3] before the site was sold and became a Scream pub called the Footage.[9] It was refurbished by owners Stonegate Pub Company at a cost of £360,000, and was relaunched on 13 September 2014 with a capacity of 620 people.[10]
Architecture
"The Grosvenor Picture Palace" sign above the entrance
The two-storey building is rectangular, and is on a corner site with a 3-bay chamfered entrance corner with a pavilion on top.[8] Its facade features green and cream faience and terracotta tiles,[2][8] and it has 4 bays facing Gosvenor street and 6 bays facing Oxford road.[8] The centre of the Oxford road facade is marked with a raised torch in white terracotta.[5] It has a small attic and a slate roof.[8] It originally had a canopy, which was later removed.[6]
Much of the original interior, including plasterwork, the balcony and the vaulted ceiling, is still present in the building.[3] The inside balcony originally had multi-coloured inlaid panels.[5]
The building was listed by English Heritage as a Grade II listed building on 3 October 1974.[8]
^ abcHartwell, Clare (2002). Manchester (Reprinted with corr. ed.). New Haven: Yale Univ. Press. p. 320. ISBN0300096666.
^ abBeech, Barry Worthington. With photographs by Graham (2002). Discovering Manchester : a walking guide to Manchester and Salford – plus suburban strolls and visits to surrounding attractions. Wilmslow: Sigma Leisure. pp. 214–215. ISBN978-1850587743.
