Mark Trainer

Just curious but the tall building behind the cinema, would that be part of it? As a side note some of the older buildings, particularly the Empire, look pretty impressive. Only being 34 I have sadly never seen them in the flesh.06/05/2009 23:30:04

George Clement

The tall building showing behind the old Empire, that Mark Trainer mentions, might have been part of the old castle brewery that was in that locality. No doubt some other readers of this site will supply the right answer.09/05/2009 22:40:29

No name supplied

You know Mark this truly was a wonderful building it not only housed the Empire but several other establishments - a snack bar, a tobacconist(I think),a newsagent and Sloans snooker hall. With the passage of time some of my memories ara vague, but this was a building that should have been renovated along with the whole east side of Stockton High Street instead of being knocked down and replaced with the Castlegate centre, far better if rhe west side of Stockton High Street had been pulled down and renovated. I have a print of this wonderful building on my bedroom wall.08/03/2010 19:35:36

Kevin Mccullough

I just noticed this picture of the old Empire on the site. What a load of memories this place brings back. I learned how to play snooker here as a young teenager at Sloan's. It was a "risky" place to be in in those days full of characters and "hard" men. Billy the boxer was a frequent player, but it seems to me that the two best players in the town were always on table # 1 and everyone stopped to watch them. Jimmy Robson comes to mind as one of them. Also downstairs at the Castle Cafe we used to listen to the classy jukeboxes that were 'state of the art' on the walls in the booths.... the refrains of the Shirelles singing "will you still love me tomorrow" still ringing in my ears.09/03/2010 23:09:22

Frank Bowron

I may be old fashioned, but the Swallow Hotel is a very poor substitute for the grand old Empire building. I hardly recognise most of Stockton when I come up for a visit these days...10/03/2010 12:30:39

Aline Chapman nee Smith

I totally agree with you Frank Bowron the Swallow hotel overpowers that end of the High Street and may I say it is quite an ugly building. It is now stood empty, why? 10/03/2010 15:21:17

George Clement

As I understand, the reason for the Swallow Hotel being empty is that the entire Swallow Hotel group went bust early on in the current recession.11/03/2010 18:35:37

Margaret Alderson

I agree the Empire was a great building but if memory serves me correctly - and maybe it was the proximity of the Snooker Hall that my brother remembers as 'risky' - it never had quite the same class as the Regal, the Globe or the Cinema. Folklore had us believe that the place was infested with rats but I never saw one. I recall smoking my first illicit cigarette in the Empire, it just seemed the appropriate venue but I almost fell flat on my face with dizziness when I stood up. By the time of its' demolition I had left Stockton and I still can't believe what has happened to so many lovely buildings and its great High Street. 11/03/2010 21:35:07