The theatre was built on the site of a former public hall which burnt down in 1909, and Wrexham Hippodrome Ltd was formed in 1913.

The 950 seater Hippodrome on Henblas Street had a long and varied history. Opening on Thursday 1st July 1909 it had been designed by the Chester architects Davies & Sons of Chester. Built on the site of The Public Hall, it was initially named the New Opera House & Public Hall.

It had a deeply curved single balcony, typical of theatres of that time, supported by pillars which obstructed the patron’s clear view who were unfortunate enough to be seated behind them in both the circle & stalls.

The Baroque type features on the front of the circle, and the framed panels around the auditorium walls gave some decorative relief, together with the recessed lantern ceiling. The outside frontage was of plain brick. Two years later the theatre was re-named the Hippodrome.

The Hippodrome was one of Wrexham’s five music halls, which also included the Majestic, now the Elihu Yale, and the Empire on Chester Street, which is now the Saith Seren.

It became the Hippodrome Cinema on 9^th September 1929, showing the sound feature ‘The Donovan Affair’. By 1937 it was part of the H.D. Moorhouse Circuit. Films continued until it closed thirty years later in November 1959 with Jeff Chandler in ‘Pay the Devil’ and John Agar in ‘Star in the Dust’.

Owner/manager of the Hippodrome & Vogue cinemas, Barry Flanagan with his staff.

A local independent operator, Barry Flanagan, his sister Margaret and his family, decided to take a chance on the building, re-opening it with the same name on Tuesday 13^th June 1961, showing the first film-‘All Hands On Deck’.

The central light fitting was a fairly recent addition, acquired from the Gaumont cinema, Anfield when it closed.

Chief projectionist at Wrexham’s original Odeon-  Hippodrome & Vogue cinemas, Mervyn Howell was a veteran with projection experience that spanned more than four decades.

The occasional pop concert was staged. It became a twin cinema in 1988, opening with ‘Willow’ & ‘Who Framed Roger Rabbit’ in a separate screen.

Barry Flanagan, proudly standing in the auditorium of the Hippodrome Wrexham

With the opening of the Odeon multiplex cinema at nearby Plas Coch, it was hit badly with most of its trade lost, together with problems securing prints. When it couldn’t obtain a first run copy of ‘Titanic’, it was clear that the Hippodrome too was sinking, and closure came in March 1998. Barry Flanagan reluctantly ended his association with the building.

The building then stood empty for more than 10 years, while campaigners, including legendary Liverpool comic Ken Dodd, pushed for it to be given listed building status. Despite this high profile backing the bid to secure listed status was unsuccessful.

On June 16, 2008, a major fire destroyed the building – just three days after the funeral of Barry Flanagan, the cinema and theatre’s final manager.

At the height of the fire, crews from Wrexham, Chirk, Llangollen, Deeside, Buckley and Mold were called in to tackle the blaze. The site was demolished in 2009.

Ten years later, the land, at the heart of Wrexham town centre, had been listed at £50,000 by Pugh Auctions but sold for £98,000 on the day.

chestercinemas.co.uk