This is a film showing the demolition of the Empire Theatre in Wombwell, near Barnsley, and the streets and shops of Wombwell in the mid-1960s. The film opens showing the Empire before just before it is demolished. Some men and youths are hanging around the back of the building where a Land Rover is parked. The building is then shown being demolished with the help of a crane with 'James Childs' written on the side. Builders are shown up on the building helping with the demolition....

This is a film showing the demolition of the Empire Theatre in Wombwell, near Barnsley, and the streets and shops of Wombwell in the mid-1960s. The film opens showing the Empire before just before it is demolished. Some men and youths are hanging around the back of the building where a Land Rover is parked. The building is then shown being demolished with the help of a crane with 'James Childs' written on the side. Builders are shown up on the building helping with the demolition. They are being watched by some policemen and bystanders. The demolition continues with a wrecking ball and a bulldozer. A builder takes a ride aboard the wrecking ball and is lifted up past a row of shops. After the demolition the film shows the newly cleared area and the buildings around. A man walks along with a small girl pushing a pushchair. Among the nearby shops is 'Downend and Lister'. There is another old building with external wooden shoring, with the man and little girl with the toy pushchair again walking past. The film then shows the shops on Station Road, including 'Diggles', next door to the Salvation Army. Again the man and child are seen walking along over a road bridge. There is a row of houses and several town centre streets. The film shows the Catholic Club, Woolworths and a shopping parade, again with the child with the toy pushchair. There is a sign for 'Littlefield Lane', and the man and girl are now near a row of shops. Down one street are the shops: 'Meadow', 'Broadhead Ltd.' carpets, an optician, 'Binns', and 'Alan Firth'. Next the film shows a wide area of cleared land, with building vehicles and behind it St Mary's Church showing the bell tower. On the corner is the Royal Oak Hotel, and there is a view down the High Street from Church Street. Further on are more shops: 'Timothy Whites', 'Baileys', 'British Relay', 'Redifusion' and 'Silvers Cleaners'. A few doors down, there is an old building with a clock on the corner. A wall has hoardings for Barnsley Co-operative, advertising 'Dividend on Purchases', 'Old Members Grants' and 'Free Death Benefits'. On a nearby wall, next to a pub set back from the road, are posters for dances (dated Monday 21st Sept.) and for an exhibition. There is more film of the town streets, showing a sign on a wall for Woolworths. There is a derelict Midland bank and another derelict building next to a shop with a sign advertising Wombwell's local paper the Chronicle. Then there is the brightly painted store of the "The Barnsley British Cooperative Society". There is a petrol station with 'Esso' on the pumps, next to the British Legion Club. There is another smaller petrol station next to a corner TV and radio shop, 'D. Lee & Co. Ltd.'. Several horse drawn carts pass by outside a shop with signs for 'Cleveland' and 'PYE'. This is followed by a row of derelict terrace houses and a yard with cars and vans. The film finishes with more houses shown from a distance.