Wigan Album
King Street & King Street West, Wigan
12 CommentsPhoto: RON HUNT
Item #: 33852
This looks like a scene from a Sherlock Holmes film.It doesn't look like Wigan. That was my first thought, when I saw it.
It still looks a grand red bricked building today even with tree branches growing from the roof.
I’m not sure who or what’s inside it but there’s a railed gate in front of one of the doorways a bit further along near the bus stop.
I sometimes catch the bus there if the train is cancelled or delayed.
Looks like a commissionaire stood outside the PRINCES CINEMA ?
They did things differently then didn’t they Ron, uniformed men at the doors of the pictures. It’s horrible what they’ve done to that picture house now. It was a beautiful white marble building at one time(faux or otherwise) Unfortunately it’s was starting to become run down by the sixties.
Was the end premises a pub/ hotel.? I can’t make out the lettering on the windows. Anybody know?
Is that the Clarence top right , been ruined like the rest of wigan
The former picture house was the Princes Nightclub for many years in the 1990s & early 2000s. I think it has been reopened under other names in recent times, but the inside looked extremely shabby and run down the last time I was in which was at least a decade ago. I think it may be closed now, unless someone can put me straight.
CJAlan, the inside of the Prince's was " extremely shabby and run down" when it functioned as a cinema, at least 60 years ago.
I remember someone used to come round with one of those old fashioned pump sprays to deflea the seats.
The PRINCES CINEMA was the coldest cinema in Wigan... Along with, the Empire, Pavillion, and Palace it was a cinema you NEVER TOOK a girl on your first date. To impress it was the RITZ or COURT
The last I heard Tony Callaghan owned this corner building, formerly a mill I believe. It has a high elevation door for loading/unloading when taking the path to the left and looking up.
Fabulous architecture with great skill.
Pub is the Clarence looking at these old buildings not a broken window or rubbish in sight
Wigan's equivalent of New York's Flat Iron Building