A historic Manchester cinema, once the Tatler, then Cornerhouse, may face demolition for station upgrades. Its future is unclear.
The 115-year-old building has been empty since. Work begins soon to upgrade Oxford Road station, making the building’s future look uncertain. It was the Cornerhouse cinema until 2015, having opened May 2, 1935, as the Tatler New Theatre.
People watched newsreels to learn world events; it was Manchester’s first news cinema. The cinema held 300 seats, showing news, cartoons, sports, and travel films. By the 1950s, news in cinemas declined.
The Tatler showed Bugs Bunny and Tom and Jerry. It adapted to show general-interest topics. Fewer cartoons meant another change was needed. The old newsreel cinema had to evolve.
In 1961, the cinema changed extensively, becoming the Classic Tatler Cinema. They showed arthouse, film noir, Westerns, and foreign films. In 1969, it became the Tatler Cinema Club, which raised eyebrows.
The cinema showed ‘uncensored’ and adult films only for members, a far cry from the Looney Tunes cartoons. Membership cost £1 a year, and each show cost seven shillings and sixpence.
The M.E.N. interviewed the cinema’s publicist, Pat Brown, who liked “outrageous publicity.” The cinema’s posters advertised daring films, such as ‘Lila,’ and ‘Nake Psyche.’ The manager, Jack Brannan, found it easier to run, noting “no rowdy element.”
He was surprised few women attended, only two percent, while Portsmouth had twenty-five percent female audience. Pat Brown claimed films explored “human emotions.” Movie titles in the M.E.N. suggest it was more “adult.”
By the 1970s, nude shows with female strippers happened. People called it the “dirty raincoat brigade” cinema. In 1974, the manager didn’t know the membership count, however an employee said they had almost thirty thousand members.
The manager said they “carefully vetted” members, and applicants waited an hour, allowing her to assess them closely. Not everyone liked the cinema. Feminist protests and raids reportedly occurred.
In 1981, it became the Glamour Cinema Club, still showing adult material and striptease. In 1985, it became part of the Cornerhouse. Cornerhouse screened independent films, with three cinemas (the old Tatler was the largest), galleries, a bookshop, a bar, and a restaurant.
The Manchester Modernists Society called it “ahead of its time.” Artists, writers, and movie fans frequented the cinema. Eric Cantona, a former player, liked it.
In 2015, Cornerhouse merged with Library Theatre Company, forming HOME. They moved into the HOME arts center, and the last multiplex cinema closed and has remained empty. Work starts soon on Oxford Road station’s upgrade. Network Rail is investing millions, and the station will close for up to two years. They will lengthen platforms to ease congestion.
The M.E.N. asked Network Rail about the building’s future. Network Rail is considering crane locations, one potential spot being where “Screen One” was, previously the old Tatler cinema building. They seek public feedback about construction impacts.
Network Rail, council, and transport groups are working together. They want a Strategic Regeneration Framework (SRF) to plan long-term uses for the site, going beyond the station’s construction. Network Rail’s response makes the future uncertain.
It might be demolished. Its land could be used for a construction crane.
In 2024, a photo of Tatler was on a Facebook group. People shared memories in the comments. One person saw cartoons there as a child. Another watched Cliff Richard’s “Summer Holiday” there.
Others recalled walking past the adult cinema. One person’s mother wouldn’t allow sitting near it on the bus. Someone felt embarrassed walking past. Another tried to look older to enter with friends.
The old Tatler/Cornerhouse cinema had many lives, showing arthouse and adult films. It is a place with a colorful past. Its future looks bleak.