← Back to news
It once hosted Eric and Ernie and a boxing kangaroo – now it’s all pigeons and decay. How did Hulme Hippodrome fall so low?

It once hosted Eric and Ernie and a boxing kangaroo – now it’s all pigeons and decay. How did Hulme Hippodrome fall so low?

Published: April 29, 2026 · The Guardian

View original

It showcased the biggest stars of the day, including Stan Laurel, Harry Houdini, Morecambe and Wise and Shirley Bassey, before becoming a bingo hall, a church and a squat. It was almost turned into flats. What next for Manchester’s forgotten music hall?