This collaboration marked the beginning of a new era in cinema development. Moving beyond the converted halls and small-scale purpose-built cinemas, the trio set out to create large, purpose-built 'Super Cinemas'—a concept that had not been seen outside of London. These Super Cinemas were designed not only for film screenings but also for live theatre, concerts, and variety shows, offering a more versatile and grand entertainment experience.

The Ambassador Cinemas were conceived at a time when silent films were at their peak, and the founders aimed to future-proof their venues against any potential decline in the popularity of moving pictures. The Ambassador Super Cinema in Salford, opened in 1928, was the first of these innovative cine-variety theatres to be constructed outside of London, setting a new standard for the industry.

Mr. Fred Read

Mr Fred Read was the Chairman of Directors for Trafford Picture House,  Ltd. Manchester.Read had been in the cinema business since 1921 and before that had a photographic business with branches all over Lancashire, called 'Leslie Brothers.'

Mr. Alfred Snape

Mr Alfred Snape was the Secretary for Trafford Picture House,  Ltd. Manchester.

Mr. Arthur  Ward 

Mr Arthur Leonard Ward was the Musical Director of Lewis's Ltd. Orchestra as well as Joint Managing Director of New Popular Picture House Hulme, Manchester and Lessee of the New Empire Picture House in Leigh

The first of the Ambassador Circuit's " super cinemas was to be the Ambassador Super Cinema on Langworthy Road in Salford. They engaged the services of the architect and surveyor, John Knight, to design this new cinema. At the time, the advice was for all cinema owners to have an individual company registered for each cinema to save liability falling on the whole circuit if they were to fail. As a result, Ambassador Super Cinema Ltd. was formed."

    This new building, costing £40,000, was designed to host both cinema and theatrical presentations, with the addition of a restaurant/function space, which would help boost the entire cinema's income. The Ambassador was an immediate success and inspired the newly formed company to build more cinemas in this revolutionary new format. Even as this building was being erected, they were already planning their next Super Cinema in Levenshulme, Manchester.

For their next cinema building, they once again engaged the talents of John Knight. The Kingsway Super Cinema was an impressive building at a major intersection. It had a highly decorative white tile facade around its corner entrance. Inside the auditorium, the seating was located in stalls and circle levels.

The proscenium was 42 feet wide, and the stage was 16 feet deep. There were six dressing rooms. There was a Jardine organ (billed at the opening as the ‘Rex/Gloria Organ’), which was re-built by the Compton Organ Co. in 1937. The cinema also had a café attached for the convenience of patrons.

   For their next cinema building, they engaged the renowned Cinema Architects firm Drury & Gomersall, with Peter Cummings being credited as the architect for this design. The Heaton Park Super Cinema, like its predecessors, had a café and function space that would increase the overall income of the cinema.

The cinema screen was placed on the outer wall, beyond the stage and orchestra, so that it was considerably removed even from the cheapest seats. This was an advantage that could not be enjoyed in the older cinemas. As an alternative to the orchestra, music was provided by loudspeakers operated from grilles on either side of the proscenium.

For their next building, they once more engaged the renowned Cinema Architects firm Drury & Gomersall, with Peter Cummings ARIBA again being credited as the architect.

The Carlton Super Cinema, located on Ashton New Road on the corner of and Crabtree-lane in the Clayton District of Manchester, opened on the 7th of July 1929, costing £22,000. The cinema had a corner entrance, which was topped by an open dome supported on pillars.

Inside the auditorium, seating was provided in stalls and circle levels. It had a 35 feet wide proscenium, a 14 feet deep stage, and six dressing rooms. There was also a café attached.

The Majestic was not a new build; it was an acquisition that was refurbished, presumably as part of a plan to expand the group's number of cinema holdings.

The Majestic had been built as a chapel in 1813. It became the Temperance Hall in 1862 and hosted local variety shows. The building contained seating on orchestra and balcony levels.

    By 1920, it had been converted into the Majestic Cinema. In August 1930, it was purchased by the group and equipped with a Western Electric sound system, and the first talkie was Janet Gaynor in 'Sunny Side Up'.

The group's next 'Super Cinema' build, and most luxurious to date, was the Regal Super Cinema on Manchester Road in Altrincham, opening on the 13th of May 1931.

The architect was once more from the Drury and Gomersall practice being designed by Joseph Gomersall himself. So pleased with its design, the group 'borrowed' the plans for their next Super Cinema.

The cinema was described as a "Cathedral of Cinemas" and the "Super Cinema in the Suburbs," boasting a commanding and delightful terracotta frontage that exuded a majestic and imposing presence with a hint of a "seaside" charm. The building cost around £27,000—a typical expense for a suburban cinema of that era.

Inside, the décor was dominated by silver and gold, with the dome in the auditorium ceiling appearing as if made of beaten silver, which was a clever use of plastic paint with a metallic finish. Like many cinemas of the period, concealed lighting played a significant role in creating a stunning visual impact, with 5,000 hidden lights illuminating the auditorium. The cinema was also equipped with a Compton 3 Manual/11 Rank organ with an illuminated console, adding to its grandeur.

The Plaza Super Cinema on Mersey Square in Stockport was opened on the 8th of October 1932. Sadly, it was to be the last Cinema built under the Ambassador brand.

With plans to expand into central Stockport, they evaluated Thornley's speculative "Regal" scheme but found his original design outdated and inconsistent with the "Super Cinema" brand they had established with their previous five new cinemas.

As a condition of purchasing the site on Mersey Square for development, the directors commissioned Thornley to adapt the successful plans of the Regal Super Cinema in Altrincham—originally designed by Drury & Gomersall, and often referred to as the "Cathedral of the Movies"—to fit the smaller, more restricted Stockport site, without reducing its seating capacity of 1,850. Drury & Gomersall agreed to this adaptation under the condition that their practice's name would not be associated with the modified design.

    So close in design was the Plaza to her sister cinema in Altrincham that no one noticed that the pre-opening publicity photographs used to illustrate the opulence of the auditorium were, in fact, photos of the Regal's auditorium.

You can see the only remaining example of the Ambassador Circuit's Cinemas here >>>  https://stockportplaza.co.uk/about-the-plaza/