Empire Cabaret Club (Burnley)

The Empire Cabaret Club was at 223 Gannow Lane, Rosegrove, Burnley, Lancashire and opened on Monday, November 27, 1961 with Brian Massey, Tony Hulme, Terry Kaye, The Swinging March Hares, Wally Harper, Roberti, The Two Sovereigns, Dane Roberts, Jack Swann and Dorothy Denton from 7.30pm.

It was advertised in The Evening Telegraph of Saturday, November 25, 1961 as

Special Announcement The Empire Cabaret Club Rosegrove -Burnley 2876 Under New Management Night entertainment at its very best for members and guests. Tonight (Sat.): Jimmy Malborn And Joyce Also Alan Auxilly.

Sensational Opening Night Monday, 27th November at 7.30 p.m. prompt. We regret that seats cannot be reserved for this Gala evening so advice you to Be Early ! Doors open 7.0 p.m. Monday, 27th November And All Week Brian Massey from North Pier, Blackpool - Tony Hulme Fabulous singing personality Terry Kaye Krazy man. Britain's No. 1 comic The Swinging March Hares Following their success with Jimmy Clitheroe and Stan Stennett shows Wally Harper Mr Everyman. Anything can happen ! Robert I French Specialty The Two Sovereigns Two in harmony Dane Roberts Vocal Instrumentalists Jack Swann of Jack and Eddie Swann - another local TV and stage star Plus Surprise Guest, TV & Sporting Celebrities Backed by the Bob West Trio with Brian at the Mighty Hammond Organ . . . and introducing your resident vocalist - Manchester's dynamic singing personality of stage, radio and TV and the Cliff Richard Show Dorothy Denton. 

Watch for your Sunday lunchtime Wrestling Programme - all your favourite TV wrestlers Dancing and Bingo at every session.

It had been called The Coliseum Cinema which had opened on Monday, January 12, 1920 with the film 'Beyond The Pale' and actress Constance Talmadge in the film 'Studio Girl.' The architect was William Heap, who was responsible for many cinemas in Burnley, and was particularly prolific around 1920.

The Coliseum Cinema seated 850 in stalls and circle levels. Kinematograph Year book for 1927 gave the owners as the Coliseum Company Limited. The last film programme in December 1930 was a silent film and talkies came in early January 1931 with an RCA sound system that received favourable reports in the local paper a few weeks later. New Empire (Burnley) Ltd., based at The Empire Cinema on St James’ Street acquired the Coliseum Cinema around 1935, but KYB 1936 reports Leonard Wainwright as the proprietor. This changed to Harold Ward of 6 Brown Street Manchester in KYB 1937. The sound system changed from RCA, in KYB 1949, to British Thomson Houston(BTH) in KYB 1950. Ownership changed to Coliseum Cinema (Rosegrove) Ltd. in KYB 1954, but the address was sill Brown Street in Manchester, which was the head office of the H. Ward Cinema Circuit. By KYB 1957, CinemaScope had arrived on a screen measuring 22 feet by 13 feet.

The Coliseum Cinema closed around 1959 and was converted into The Empire Cabaret Club. It attracted many famous stars, and soon to be star onto its stage. Sometime in the 1960’s The Empire Cabaret Club was taken over by Brian Tattersall and converted into a 3-screen cinema, with seating for 118, 118 and 67. It re-opened as The Aaben Cinema. 

Information courtesy: John H. Warburg April 2024