The Longford Essoldo

Price range: £40.00 through £75.00

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Bring Manchester’s Lost Cinema History into Your Space

Owning this print is more than just hanging a picture — it’s a way of preserving a piece of Manchester’s architectural and cultural heritage. The Longford Cinema was once a hub of entertainment, community, and elegance. Now, through this illustration, its spirit lives on.

Add this print to your home or workspace to celebrate a forgotten icon — and keep the memory of a Manchester treasure alive.

Printed on high quality 165gsm Matt finished coated paper using UV Fade resistant inks.
Each print has a 5mm white border.
Prints are supplied in a sturdy cardboard tube.

SKU: essoldo Category: The Manchester Collection Tags: Art, Art Deco, Illustration, Manchester, Prints, The Essoldo

Category:The Manchester Collection

#Art #Art Deco #Illustration #Manchester #Prints #The Essoldo

Description

The Longford Essoldo, Its an Art Deco Classic – with a great story behind it.

About the Illustration

This print captures the dramatic Art-Deco façade and architectural spirit of the once-grand Longford Cinema (later Essoldo), located in Stretford, Greater Manchester. Built in 1936 by architect Henry Elder, the building was a landmark of modern cinema design — famous for its sweeping “cash-register” style frontage, bold lines, and distinctive curves that embodied the glamour and optimism of the era. manchestervictorianarchitects.org.uk

Rendered in the clean, minimalist style of Subtractionism, this illustration strips away decades of wear, signage and clutter, leaving only the pure architectural form — a tribute to what once was, and a celebration of bold design and heritage.

Historic Legacy & Significance

Art-Deco Icon — When it opened on 12 October 1936, The Longford Cinema was hailed as one of the most modern theatres in Manchester, featuring sound-proofing, under-seat heating and — remarkably for the time — concealed neon lighting. Longford and Essoldo Cinema Stretford+1
Cultural Landmark — More than a cinema, the building doubled as a theatre and concert venue. During World War II, after the bombing of the Free Trade Hall, the building hosted concerts by the Hallé Orchestra under conductor John Barbirolli — preserving Manchester’s musical lifeblood in dark times. manchestervictorianarchitects.org.uk+1
Life Through Time — Renamed the “Stretford Essoldo” in 1950 and later converted into a bingo hall, the building lived many lives before closing in the 1990s. Its Grade-II listing in 1994 acknowledges its architectural and cultural importance. Wikipedia+1

This print honours that layered history — keeping alive the memory of an era when cinemas were palaces, and architecture was bold by design.

Taken from The Essoldo Website; ” Architect Henry Elder designed the building in the late 1930’s. Elder’s architecture was at the height of art deco fashion; the main entrance on Chester Road was designed in the shape of a cash register flanked by two phallic symbols and the side entrance on Edge Lane was surmounted by a third one, these represented Elder’s view that the modern film industry was dominated by money and sex.”