The Empire Theatre
THE EMPIRE THEATRE, LIME STREET
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1252934
- Date first listed:
- 16-Oct-1990
- List Entry Name:
- The Empire Theatre
- Statutory Address:
- THE EMPIRE THEATRE, LIME STREET
Location
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Images of England Project
- Date:
- 2002-08-16
- Reference:
- IOE01/03974/01
- Rights:
- © Mr Brendan Oxlade. Source: Historic England Archive
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Official list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1252934
- Date first listed:
- 16-Oct-1990
- List Entry Name:
- The Empire Theatre
- Statutory Address 1:
- THE EMPIRE THEATRE, LIME STREET
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
Location
- Statutory Address:
- THE EMPIRE THEATRE, LIME STREET
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- District:
- Liverpool (Metropolitan Authority)
- Parish:
- Non Civil Parish
- National Grid Reference:
- SJ 35067 90665
Details
The following building shall be added:
SJ 3590 NW LIVERPOOL LIME STREET
50/1362 The Empire Theatre
GV II
Theatre. Brier 1924-5 for Moss's Empires Ltd; designed by W & T R Milburn. Carving and auditorium ornament by E 0 Griffiths of Liverpool. Steel frame clad in Portland stone (to front) and brick. Roof material not visible. Foyer and stairs; very wide auditorium (with balcony) designed to seat an audience of 2,450. Free neo-Classical style. Front: 1:3:1 bays, the central bays with Attic courses over dentilled cornice; paired and single Ionic columns in antis (1:2:2:1) with windows between set in bold aedicules and with octagonal openings above. 1st floor cornice. Ground-floor with 3-light windows over entrances to foyer. Steel canopy with medallions and guilloche decorative bands. Central bays (except Attic) rusticated. Side bays lower with parapets; 1st floor windows in architraves flanked by shallow pilasters; 1st floor cornice. Door and window in shallow recess. Stone cladding returns one bay to either side with similar fenestration. Many altered window openings to rear and sides (which are not designed to be seen). Interior: seating raked up to sides as well as to rear to maximise visibility. Decoration in free 'Louis XVI' style: coved ceiling with deep lateral arches and elaborately treated fan vaults (concealing lights) to front angles of auditorium; all-over decoration to the nodding praesceneum arch, and to side walk of orchestra pit. Many curious decorative features including carved elephant caryatids. The theatre was noted for its advanced planning; the long rows of seats sloping up on either end were designed to heighten a sense of audience participation as well as improving sight lines towards the stage.
Refs include The Builder, April 1925.
Listing NGR: SJ3506790665
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
- Legacy System number:
- 436059
- Legacy System:
- LBS
Sources
Books and journals
The Builder in April, (1925)
Legal
This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.
Map
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 13-Jun-2026 at 19:43:18.
Download a full scale map (PDF)End of official list entry
All text content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 , except where otherwise stated. Any supplied maps are © Crown Copyright [and database rights] 2026 OS AC0000815036 and may not be reproduced without permission.