The site of the old Hippodrome in Wrexham is to go up for auction.

Buyers will have their chance to snap up the vacant site at a sale to be held on February 20 at the AJ Bell Stadium in Manchester from midday.

The land, at the heart of Wrexham town centre, is expected to fetch offers of £50,000 plus according to the guide price listed by Pugh Auctions.

The Hippodrome entertained Wrexham audiences from the 1910s until its closure in 1997.

The Hippodrome was the last of Wrexham’s five music halls, which also included the Majestic, now the Elihu Yale, and the Empire on Chester Street, which is now the Saith Seren.

The theatre was built on the site of a former public hall which burnt down in 1909, and Wrexham Hippodrome Ltd was formed in 1913.

Famous faces who took to the stage at the Hippodrome included Gracie Fields, Ken Dodd and legendary music hall staple Arthur Askey.

The death knell was sounded for the Hippodrome with the opening of the Odeon on Plas Coch in 1997 and it closed in the autumn of that year, reopening briefly over the Christmas season.

The building then stood empty for more than 10 years, while campaigners, including comic Ken Dodd, pushed for it to be given listed building status. It was unsuccesful.

On June 16, 2008, the building suffered a huge fire – just three days after the funeral of Barry Flanagan, the cinema and theatre’s final manager.

In 2004, the building was purchased by property group HMG who had plans to transform it into retail space.

Planning permission for the construction of retail units on the site was granted in January 2006 but that has now lapsed.

Late last year, the Leader reported a magnificent large Art Deco light, which formerly hung from the ceiling of the old Hippodrome on Henblas Street, had returned to use as a visual centrepiece at the South Arcade of Ty Pawb, the arts, markets and community development on Chester Street.

The light was installed at the former Hippodrome in 1961, and remained there until the closure.

The light was preserved by Graham Lloyd and John Davies of Wrexham History, after it was rescued by members of the Wrexham FM/Community Media Wrexham radio volunteers, who were based in rooms above the old Hippodrome Cinema.

The former Hippodrome site stands near the former T J Hughes store, which itself has been empty since 2011.

But earlier this week it was announced Tehcniquest Glyndwr had agreed a deal to set up base in the store as part of a 12-month lease, with a view to a permanent move in the future.