Empire Cinematograph~Wo Ping Theatre / 奄派影畫戲院~和平戲院 [1903-1921]

Seating capacity: unknown.  Address: Des Voeux Road Central, Central, Hong Kong.  Hang Seng Bank Head Office is the current occupant at the site located on the northeast corner of Des Voeux Road Central and Queen Victoria Street intersection.

Empire Cinematograph was the first cinema to operate at the site and one source states its opening date as early as 1903.  On August 3, 1919 another theatre called Wo Ping Theatre started to operate likely replacing the origianl theatre after a rebuilt or renovation.  For a short period in 1921, the theatre took on a new name called Empire Theatre.  Wo Ping Theatre closed its doors final time on November 9, 1921 as the land lease of the theatre building expired.

Sources:

• ​Cinema Treasures: http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/33300
• Hong Kong Theatres Association Limited: http://hktaorg.com/en/cinemahistory.php
• Wikipedia's list of theatres no longer operating: https://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-tw/%E9%A6%99%E6%B8%AF%E5%B7%B2%E7%B5%90%E6%…