Internal photos

Excerpt describing the auditorium from the Opening Night Souvenir Programme - 24th December 1928

"No less satisfying is the interior. From the architectural standpoint, every effort has been made to secure the ideal and to ensure that every patron from whichever seat occupied shall have a full and uninterrupted view of the proscenium and orchestra. The General Decorations are unique in their simplicity and effectiveness. The ivory-tinted walls, with dadoes executed in glass tiles, form a pleasing background to the heraldic emblems which are hung from the frieze, whilst they contrast most fittingly with the elaborate brass grilles in the Italian style to the Organ Chambers. The proscenium frame is treated in a delightful and artistic manner, the Stage being of exceptional size, so that the Management may keep abreast of the times and be able to supply the public with what it demands in the way of kine-variety."

The Auditorium - 1930s & 40's

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Stage set up for "Dancing Waters" display 1930s

Stage set up for a concert or big band in the 1940s

The photo above is of the Kingsway Super Cinema taken from the balcony in 1929, which is an almost identical copy of the Ambassador the only difference is that two Grecian-style columns are flanking the proscenium instead of one.

The photo above is of the Kingsway Super Cinema stage and organ grills in 1936, which is an almost identical copy of the Ambassador the only difference is that two Grecian-style columns are flanking the proscenium instead of one.

( Photo courtesy of the Cinema Theatre Association)

The photo above is of the Kingsway Super Cinema balcony and stalls in 1936, which is an almost identical copy of the Ambassador with the Norse winged helmet/shield at the ends of the ceiling truss beams the decorative tiling, the balcony molding, and the sunburst face plasterwork on the side walls

( Photo courtesy of the Cinema Theatre Association)

Cafe and Foyer - 1930

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Photo of the Cafe set up for afternoon tea in 1930

( Photo courtesy of the North West Film Archive)

Photo of the ticket booth in the foyer 1930

( Photo courtesy of the North West Film Archive)

The ticket booth above from the Kingsway Super Cinema is identical in design to the Ambassador's paybooth.

( Photo courtesy of the Cinema Theatre Association)

The Auditorium - 1960s & 70's

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The auditorium in its early bingo days with the proscenium and organ grills still in place and the original ‘Old Rose’ coloured house tabs and black secondary tabs still hanging.

The rear of the circle with the old rose crushed velour tip-up seats and projection portals are still visible. These must have been a later addition as the opening night programme describes the seats as being upholstered in gray corduroy.

Slightly offset view of the auditorium in its early bingo days with the proscenium and organ grills showing slightly more of the side walls

The Auditorium - 1993

Filmed in February 1993, some 18 months before broadcast on July 8th, 1994, and just 12 months after the Ambassador had a major refit.

Coronation Street viewers were treated to a view of the Ambassador Mecca Bingo which was doubling for a Blackpool bingo hall where Vera Duckworth (actress Liz Dawn) was visiting her Grandson Tommy and just happened to bump into an old flame called Lester Fontayne (actor David Ross)

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Granada cameraman films an episode of Coronation Street where the Ambassador is standing in for a Blackpool Bingo Hall, filmed Feb 1993.

Vera's definitely onto a winner at the Ambassador.

Vera checks her bingo card

Lester Fontayne, as smooth as his shiny suit.

Read all about the filming and watch video clips of the episode on the "The Coronation Street Connection" page

The Auditorium April 2001,

Ambassador Project site visit

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View from the rear of the stalls

Proscenium & stage from mid-stalls

Proscenium & stage from RHS stalls

View of the Left side wall

Proscenium and organ chambers

The auditorium from the stage

The auditorium from the organ pit

Auditorium Ceiling and balcony front

Balcony RHS wall and ceilings

Panorama from the rear of the balcony looking towards the stage

Panorama from the Stage looking towards the balcony

Detailing

The coffered ceiling with a fluted frieze of acanthus leaves and palmettes with the Heraldic shield & drape moulding with Nordic winged helmet. Here we show how the Mecca branded décor may have compared with how it was described in the opening night programme. below we show how it may have looked with the Holophane lighting and the helmet ligh

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