The Ambassador's concept was a 'Super Cinema,' which is a cinema that also has provision for live theatre variety shows in addition to showing films. Up until that point cinemas were generally smaller in size, and often were conversions of public halls or other such buildings. Even purpose-built cinemas were small affairs often just a single-storey set up.

   Being conceived when silent films were at their height meant that the owners felt they would be future-proofed should the craze for moving pictures change. The Ambassador was the first of these new purpose-built cine-variety theatres to be constructed outside of London.

    By early 1927,  the directors had already engaged a local Manchester architect, John Knight, to design their new style of cinema. A special feature according to the report at the time was to be the "Cabaret Cafe Rendezvous" situated on the first floor beneath the upper circle balcony. The Cafe would have provision for 200 persons seated and on cabaret nights provision for 100 persons for dancing. 

    The estimated cost of the theatre to accommodate 1,820 persons was £34,000. However, in the end, it would cost £40,000 due to an accident that involved the need for new steelworks to be manufactured.

(Note: £40,000 would be £3,098,833.44 today.)

 “Manchester.—Tenders are being invited in connection with the erection of the new Ambassadors Cinema at Pendleton, Manchester, for the Ambassador Super Cinema, Ltd., of 13. St. Ann's Street, Manchester. The new kinema has been planned by John Knight, F.R.I.B.A., of 5, Cross Street, Manchester. The site is in Langworthy Road, Pendleton, and it will have a capacity of 1,820 persons.” Kinematograph Weekly - Thursday 22 December 1927.  Swinton based P. (Percy) Hamer Ltd who built many public buildings, including a number of cinemas won the tender to build the Ambassador. 

The buzz surrounding the Ambassador, including its grand inauguration by Salford's Mayor took center-stage in the newspapers as the Ambassador was a pinnacle of luxury for Salford at that time, a cinema of unparalleled grandeur, truly worthy of the title “Picture Palace”. From Marble staircases to sumptuous fixtures and ornate decoration and deep pile carpeting, ordinary people could escape their grey existence and be transported to other worlds.
    Salford's newest cinema, the Ambassador Super Cinema, gracefully nestled in one of the city's most coveted suburban locales, throws open its doors on the hallowed Christmas Eve and was inaugurated by the Mayor of Salford, Councillor A. H. Collins, who enthusiastically declared, "I am delighted! Salford has played second fiddle to Manchester for too long. We now have a cinema comparable to any in Manchester!" The evening's three-hour entertainment program featured two films: "Vaudeville," starring Emil Jannings and Lya De Putti (original title: Varieté 1925), and "Enemies of Society," starring Conway Teal and Margaret Morris. Musical performances were delivered by John Hughes and Madame Edna Melling, accompanied by The Ambassador Orchestra under the skilled direction of Mr. Arthur L. Ward, who was also one of the three main directors of Read, Snape, and Ward. During the intermission and organ interlude, patrons were captivated by the performances of organists Mr. Norman Cocker and Mr. Reginald Liversidge, who skilfully played a selection of both popular and classical music on the "Rex Gloria" cinema organ.”

    All proceeds from the opening gala were donated to the dependents of the two men, John Gannon and John Gregg, who tragically lost their lives during the excavation of the cinema's foundations. It was reported in the Manchester Evening News - Tuesday 05 March 1929, "Dependents of the two men killed during the erection of the Ambassador Cinema Pendleton shared £112 1s*., which was raised by a benefit performance at the cinema."