The Alhambra on North Street began its life as a music hall before being converted into a picture house in 1902. Because it retained the licence from its music hall days, it operated under more relaxed regulations than other cinemas — a fact that quickly earned it a reputation as a rough, rowdy, and predominantly male haunt. Locals often referred to it as a kind of “boy’s club,” and stories about the goings-on inside became part of its colourful folklore.

But the Alhambra was also said to be home to a persistent ghost. According to long-standing reports, the spirit of its founder, Willie John Ashcroft, lingered in the building. Ashcroft had taken his own life after falling heavily into debt, and many believed his troubled spirit returned to the place he had poured so much of his life into.
Staff and patrons claimed to have seen or felt his presence over the years — strange noises, fleeting shadows, and the sensation of being watched from the upper gallery were all attributed to Ashcroft’s restless ghost.

The hauntings were said to continue right up until the cinema’s demolition in 1959, after which all reports ceased.