Grand Theatre and Opera House, Mellor Street, Radcliffe

RADCLIFFE, LANCS - The new Grand Theatre and Opera House, Radcliffe, was opened on Monday week. The building is from designs by Mr. Chas. E. Humphreys, architect, of Chorley. The exterior is of brick, with terra-cotta dressings. An arcade affords protection against the weather to those awaiting admission. The auditorium is seated for 2,000 people. The ground floor contains two classes of stalls fitted with tip-up chairs, the pit being at the back of these stalls. The first tier contains dress circle, with tip-up chairs, two large side circles, and four boxes. The gallery is on the floor above. Each part of the house is provided with refreshment and retiring rooms. The stage is 61 feet by 40 feet, clear of any obstruction, the proscenium opening being 27 feet wide. There are green room, thirteen dressing rooms, property room, painting room, and scene dock, and a fireproof curtain to cut off the stage from the auditorium. Messrs. Baxendale and Sons, of Chorley, are the builders. [Building News 20 January 1899 Page 88]

George Testo Sante, (real name George Mulhall) the owner and manager, was a former music hall theatre strongman. The music hall was equipped to screen films in 1912, the name being changed to the Grand Theatre. Following Santi’s death in 1916 the theatre closed in 1917 before briefly re-opening as the Palace Theatre. On 9th November 1923 it reopened as the Coliseum Theatre. By 1928 it was operated by the Bradley family of Blackburn & Burnley and came under their chain of cinemas named New Empire (Burnley) Ltd. It was equipped with a Western Electric (WE) sound system in 1930.  It was still operating a cinema when it was destroyed by a fire on 7th November 1945.

Reference    Building News 20 January 1899 Page 88
Reference    The Era 14 January 1899 page 13
Reference    The Era 25 February 1899
Reference    Cinema Treasures