Coventry Hippodrome / Apollo / Theatre

I agree, it's a pity the Hippodrome was swept away. It was replaced by the Transport Museum which is a pretty good attraction in Coventry and an important venue, so maybe not all bad? Totally agree that these kind of places can be made to pay. There's a perfect example of that here in Dunfermline. The Alhambra Theatre, which was built in the 1920s, ended up as a bingo hall in recent decades. It finally closed completely a few years when the bingo went to an out-of-town leisure park. The Alhambra's future didn't look promising until a local business man with a passion for it bought the place and invested some money to get it going as a theatre again. Fortunately most of its period features were in-tact. The place is now going great guns and folk come from all over central Scotland to shows there. Alhambra Makes you think the Hippodrome could have done the same. It was big enough for mainstream acts.

It just goes to show it can be done but it's a pity the right people are not in charge to follow it through. I always thought it was a good Coventry landmark and deserved preservation, now there is not much to preserve. Shame.

The tranport museum was already there. They just gave it a new frontage and a bit more exhibition space.

I can remember as a kid going to watch Ken Dodd and the Diddymen at a Xmas panto. Also the small shop outside "Poster Palace" or Place it was called. As well as posters, they also sold badges, scented oils, and the old rocker patches for your denim jackets. It was the time when you stitched on bar towels over your ripped jeans and thought it looked good. I also sat out side to hear Black Sabbath rock the place in the about 1979-1980 ish.

I can clearly remember seeing Elton John in early 70s and Deep Purple before that. Also the pantos with my dads works and getting selection pack at the end. Also my friends dad played trumpet in the band which was at front of stage. That place has a lot of fond memories for a lot of people. So degrading when it was a bingo hall.

Does anyone remember Max Wall appearing at the Hippodrome or have I been watching too much TV. His piano sketches were so funny, just walking onto the stage had me going.

How right Flapdoodle is when he said this city is run by "vandals." That may sound extreme, but I can never understand how wonderful landmarks like the Hippodrome & The Locarno, which had such wonderful acts there over the years, were allowed to be demolished. I would rather they had demolished The Belgrade than The Hippodrome. The only comparison I can think of in another city is Liverpool; when they demolished the original Cavern Club, where of course The Beatles & other top bands played, to replace it with a car park of all things. Fans of the Beatles would have "flocked" there in there droves to see such a historical place in pop culture, & paid handsomely for the privilege. I so remember the wonderful "Birthday Shows" they had at The Hippodrome. Year after year top acts appeared there. I also remember the panto's, & getting sweets at the end. Wonderful days.

Not quite correct - the original Cavern Club, which was in a cellar, was filled in as part of the development of Merseyrail. A new Cavern Club was later constructed on part of the same site. There was never a carpark on the Cavern site. Liverpool has many many venues for music and entertainment, ranging from the Echo Arena to theatres like The Royal Court, Everyman, Playhouse, Empire and Philharmonic Hall, to the scores of live music clubs (including the "new" Cavern). Not much like Coventry, I think

Correct me if I'm wrong but when it was being demolished they found a great deal of asbestos, so if it was kept open that would have been a huge problem in the future, having said that I do agree that it should not have been demolished, looking at that theatre in Scotland it's a case of what might have been,

The new Cavern club is on the opposite side of the road to the original club, which was filled in, in 1973.

I think anyone who's ever cared about our city had a fondness for the Hippodrome / Coventry Theatre, which was a great asset to Coventry for many years, and even Hitler couldn't knock it down! My thoughts, however, are that the building of the N.E.C. just up the road was the biggest nail in the theatre's coffin. Once all the big acts started using that, it was evidently more than our lovely old Hippodrome could do to match it in capacity and popularity. I still think it was a crime to destroy it though, I'm sure it could've been utilised for something. The Transport Museum is indeed a fine place, but there was plenty of room the other side of it to expand, where Matterson's used to be.

Yes Rob, I can still see you performing on that stage for 'Gang Show'

The NEC definitely caused the downfall of the Hippodrome/Coventry Theatre. The same thing happened to the Odeon in Birmingham, which used to be a popular gig venue. It all moved out of town. So bigger bands played the NEC rather than two gigs in Brum and Cov. What a shame, as I refuse to pay good money to see a band in a shed like the NEC. Rather than just demolish it, they could have modified it. Instead they build that ghastly 'Phoenix thing' which is now looking tacky and nothing more than another empty space. There is not enough there to draw people in and businesses have struggled to take off. The whole thing has been a disaster - and yet again, they destroyed many decent buildings and closed down businesses to build what has become another white elephant. I don't even think the new front to the museum is very good. There may well a market for a venue of 2,000-4,000 people in Coventry/Warwickshire (Warwick Arts centre is too specialist).

Ah, how could I forget! And here's a scan of one of the official photos that was taken back in either 1977 or 78 when I was in the show. I'm in the second row, far right - which means I'm the one completely obscured by the lad in front of me, front-right! Oh well, probably for the best! I was never destined for stardom though, and I never relished standing on that stage facing 2,000 people - I must've looked more like a frightened rabbit in a headlight than a star in the spotlight !!!

Hi, I am a final year student at the university and along with other students I am writing for a news site for the CV1 area of Coventry. I am a writer for the nostalgia section and I have chosen to do my first article about the Hippodrome. I was wondering if any of you would be able to provide me with some of your memories of the Hippodrome that I could use as quotes in my article. If you would be happy for me to quote you please leave your name with the comment as well. I'm looking mainly for anyone who has memories of The Beatles, The Kinks, The Rolling Stones and Queen playing there but all memories are appreciated and welcome! If any of you have any photo's of the Hippodrome that you would be happy for me to use in my article that would be a massive help as well. Thanks for your help.