Tony’s Empress Ballroom was a music venue from the 1920’s when Tony Billington took on the lease for the first floor and introduced The Charleston to the town. It is best known as a cornerstone of the Northern Soul scene in the 1960’s when young people travelled from all over the Uk to dance on its fully-sprung dance floor.
During the height of the textile industry, many social events and gatherings took place in such venues, serving as important spaces for the local community, including textile workers and their families. While the ballroom itself was not directly related to the cotton trade, it played a role in the social life of a city that was deeply intertwined with the textile industry.
The venue is owned by Blackburn with Darwen Council and closed as a music venue in 2003. This Victorian building retains its original dance hall features and atmosphere and has been utilised for exhibition and events by The British Textile Biennial and the National Festival of Making.
Photo – Derren Lee Poole
Opening Days & Times
No opening times outside of specific events.
Accessibility
This first floor venue is not wheelchair accessible, and there are no toilets on site.