Liverpool Olympia facts for kids
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| Former names | Eventim Olympia (2018-) Locarno Ballroom (1948–64) Mecca Bingo Hall (1964–90) |
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| Address | W Derby Rd Liverpool L6 9BY England |
| Owner | Argent Leisure |
| Operator | Ghostwriter Consultancy and Events |
| Capacity | 1,960 |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 24 April 1905 |
| Architect | Frank Matcham |
The Liverpool Olympia, also known as the Eventim Olympia, is a popular place for events in Liverpool, England. It's located on West Derby Road, right next to The Grafton Ballroom.
Contents
A Look Back: The Olympia's History
Building a Circus Theatre
The Liverpool Olympia was built in 1905. It was designed by a famous architect named Frank Matcham for a company called Moss Empires Ltd. The building was made specifically to be an indoor circus and a variety theatre.
At the time, another very successful theatre, the Royal Hippodrome, was nearby. The Olympia was built to compete with it. However, the Olympia never became as popular as the Hippodrome and didn't make a profit.
Unique Features of the Old Olympia
The Olympia is one of the few buildings of its kind left in the country. It had special features for circus acts. For example, performing animals could be lifted from the basement to the stage. You can still find parts of the lift system and areas where elephants and lions used to live underground.
The roof also has old pulley and wheel systems. These were used by trapeze artists, like the famous Henderson family, for their amazing acts. Inside, the decorations still show elephants and lions in Indian-style wall panels, reminding everyone of its circus past.
A Huge Stage and Seating
The main performance area, called the auditorium, is one of the biggest in Liverpool. In its busiest days, it could hold 3,750 people. There were seats on the ground floor and three balconies.
The stage was unusual because it was at the same level as the ground floor seats. It was very wide, about 15-metre (49 ft), and deep, about 12 metres (39 ft). The height of the stage area was also impressive, reaching 21 metres (69 ft).
From Theatre to Cinema and Ballroom
In 1930, the ABC theatre company bought the Olympia and changed it into a cinema. It was used as a cinema until 1939, when World War II began. During the war, the building was used by the Royal Navy as a storage and supply center.
After the war ended, the Olympia did not reopen as a cinema. In 1948, it was sold to the Mecca Leisure Group. They turned it into a ballroom and renamed it the Locarno. Later, between 1964 and 1982, the Locarno became a bingo hall. It closed for a few years but reopened for bingo again from 1987 to 1990.
The Olympia Today: A Modern Venue
The Liverpool Olympia reopened in the 1990s after a lot of renovation work. Today, it's a busy place that hosts many different kinds of events. You can see boxing matches, dance shows, music concerts, and even wrestling events there.
The Olympia is owned by the same company that owns The Grafton Ballroom next door. In 1975, English Heritage recognized the Olympia as a Grade II* listed building. This means it's a very important historical building that needs to be protected.
