The Holy Grail

The Grand Tradition

The Hackney Empire is a music hall in the grandest of grand traditions, a monument to Victorian folly and excess (well, the Victorians who WERE foolish and excessive; I think it's clear that wasn't all of them...) and recently (2004) gloriously restored to its full gold and velvet splendour.

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It fronts Mare Street, along the side of the same square as the town hall, opposite the library, so is nicely central to Hackney Central, and everyone knows it and loves it. I've been inside a couple of times for various events, but as they were always performances I couldn't ever get any snaps. Until today...

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I was passing on my way to the Round Chapel (Work #2; more on that later) and saw the signs up advertising London Open Day, which I hadn't even known was this weekend... the Empire was open for just two hours, 10am - 12pm, and it was just after 10.30 when I was passing... and again, I had my camera. So in I went...