Essoldo Leicester

Located on Granby Street in the city centre. The Temperance Hall was opened on 19th September 1853. It was an imposing building, designed by architect James Medland who was based in Gloucester. The exterior of the Classical style building had three sets of double windows, flanked by two Corinthian columns on each side and topped by a pediment which reached a height of 73ft. Originally the seating capacity was for 1,600. It was a ‘reverse’ building, with the stage located behind the facade, so audiences entered from behind. It was built for Thomas Cook, a leading member of the Temperance movement in Leicester. On 4th August 1845 he had organised his first ‘tour’, which was a day trip from Leicester to Loughborough, a journey of 10 miles which was priced at 10/-(shillings) today’s value is 5p. The name Thomas Cook is now known world-wide as an international travel company.

The Temperance Hall was used as a meeting, concerts & function hall and hosted lectures by famous people such as novelist Charles Dickens and explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton. Later Charlie Chaplin appeared here. Films were also screened in the late-1890’s and in 1907 it was operated by Waller Jeffs and was re-named Princess Theatre. In 1910-1911 Urban-Smith demonstrated his Kinemacolour and the Princess Theatre was operated by Midland Electric Theatres.

In January 1913 it was taken over by Metropolitan Pictures and became a full-time cinema. Following alterations it was re-named Cinema de Luxe in by 1916. In 1919 a ‘magnificent’ pipe organ was installed.

On 21st January 1930 it was taken over by the Associated British Cinemas(ABC) chain and renamed Princes Theatre following refurbishment. The proscenium was 26ft wide, the stage 15ft deep and there were three dressing rooms. It re-opened with Milton Sills in “The Crash” & Walter Forde in “Would You Believe It!” both silent films. In late-1929 a Western Electric(WE) sound system was installed and the first talkie to be screened was Nancy Welford in “Gold Diggers of Broadway”. It was closed by ABC on 3rd February 1940. It was taken over by an independent operator and re-opened on 12th February 1940.

In February 1954 it was taken over by the Essoldo chain and on June 12, 1954 it was re-named Essoldo. It was the first cinema in Leicester to be equipped with CinemaScope and 4-track magnetic stereophonic sound when it presented for a season “Flight of the White Dove” a documentary about the Royal tour.

The Essoldo was closed on 2nd July 1960 with Joachim Hansen in “Battle Inferno” & Tony Travis in “The Beatniks”. It was demolished in 1961 and an office building was built on the site. This too was demolished in 2018 and a new building has been constructed on the site.

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