Hulme Hippodrome, Manchester

The Hulme Hippodrome, a Grade II listed building, was originally known as the Grand Junction Theatre and Floral Hall and opened in Preston Street, Hulme, Manchester, on 7 October 1901. Preston Street is now a footpath, the road being removed in the 1960s. The Hippodrome and the smaller Playhouse Theatre in the same building, built at the same time, were part of the theatrical empire of W. H. Broadhead. The two venues were reportedly connected by an arcade, and the extensive building was Broadhead's company headquarters. Various architectural drawings exist for the building, not all of which correspond with the eventual constructed form of the building. The architect was J.J. Alley. Initially the theatre staged mainly dramatic productions, while the Playhouse presented variety performances, but in 1905 the names and functions of the two adjacent theatres were interchanged: the Hippodrome became known as the Grand Junction, and the variety performances were transferred to the new Hippodrome. ()