Unique one day only chance to see inside Burnley's Empire Theatre

For one day only, members of the public will have the opportunity to see inside Burnley’s last surviving Music Hall, the iconic former Empire Theatre.
Inside the former Burnley Empire TheatreInside the former Burnley Empire Theatre
Inside the former Burnley Empire Theatre

Supporters will be offered a rare opportunity to see the auditorium for the first time since it last operated as a bingo hall in the mid 1990’s on Sunday, September 22nd, as part of Burnley's Heritage Open Days.

Volunteers from Burnley Empire Trust bought the building last year and have been working tirelessly behind the scenes with the support of experts to create this unmissable free event.

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Burnley Empire Trust has teamed up with One Sixty who will host the check-in and briefing before a short two minute walk to the Burnley Empire site. Visitors will then enter via the Cow Lane entrance that was used when built in 1894.

Whilst inside the historic gem visitors will learn about the significance of the building, current condition and project to restore and reopen.

Earlier this year BET received a second grant from Theatres Trust, ‘Theatres At Risk Building Capacity Programme’ and have recently appointed project advisor James Woolgrove to work alongside the group, overseeing the commissioning process and survey work.

James is assisting BET to prepare for the ambitious plan to open the door to the public for this year’s Heritage Open Days along with Theatres Trust, National Trust and Theatresearch.

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After the site visit is complete visitors will be guided back to One Sixty with the opportunity to view a selection of showcased information. One Sixty is an independent cafe and visitors are welcome to stay after the event to talk further with the people behind the project and buy food or drink.

The visit is free but booking is essential due to limited availability. Tickets will be available online from August 30th midday. From registration, preparation, site visit and return to starting point the estimated time is 30 minutes. Children are welcome to this event but only when accompanied by an adult.

The Burnley Empire is currently in a state of repair and BET kindly ask anyone wanting to visit the site to wear sensible clothing and footwear. All ticket holders should arrive at least 10 minutes earlier than their registered event time slot.

Follow the project online for future updates @BurnleyEmpire across social platforms.