Empire Rochdale

The date of opening would appear to be 1904. If this is correct, the façe of the building was designed to reflect the Gothic architectural style of the Town Hall (1864, by W H Crossland of Leeds). The Empire stands in Town Hall Square and a curiosity is a speakers’ balcony above the entrance, at balcony level, with access from an arched opening with French windows. Five bays, the outer ones with a pinnacle roof, the central bay, the highest, with a pediment carrying the legend EMPIRE HALL. After years as a theatre and cinema, the Empire was then converted to a bingo hall in the 1950s. The building is now used as a local events, live music concert venue and social-bar, utilising only the ground floor areas.