Soho Theatre Walthamstow

davidphillips on September 8, 2006 at 6:14 am

The EMD / Granada Walthamstow remains boarded up and bearing a “For Sale/To Rent” sign at present. Local film society The McGuffins are still actively campaigning for it to be saved. See their website at http://www.mcguffin.info/ for info and online petition.

Ken Roe on December 31, 2005 at 5:31 am

Regardless what the name on the building states from its last operator, this will always be the ‘Granada Theatre’ to lovers of great theatres. Let us hope that 2006 will bring a new life to the building and it re-opens. In the meantime, here is a recent exterior photo of the shuttered building (the centre bay, above the main windows was originally more elaborate and was removed during the war):
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Ken Roe on December 6, 2004 at 5:48 am

Sorry getting cross-eyed here staring at the screen The Finsbury Pary Astoria (Rainbow Theatre) link should be /theaters/1243/

Ken Roe on December 4, 2004 at 10:33 am

First a correction to my Nov 26th posting; I stated at the end of paragraph 3 that ‘the EMD closed in 2001’, this should have read 2003. The EMD Cinema actually closed on Friday 3rd January 2003 with a special gala charity screening of the film “The Smallest Show on Earth” plus organ interlude, and live music on stage. The EMD Cinema had been purchased by the Brazilian based Universal Church of the Kingdom of God (UCKG) for £2.8million.

My resume of the Granada/EMD wasn’t meant to be a full history of the building but just a brief insight into what has happened there over the years. Of course much can be writen about recent events that have paved the way for the future of the theatre and I will deal with some of them right now.

Within a few days of closing, the theatre was broken into by a group of illegal ‘ravers’ (police numbers estimate around 500). Despite press reports that much damage was done to the interior of the building, it was inspected a few days after the ‘rave’ by the local Waltham Forest Council, Conservation Officer accompanied by the chairman of the Cinema Theatre Association who found damage to be ‘minimal’ in the main auditorium and broken seats, a slashed screen and damage to a couple of mirrors and projection equipment in the smallers screens.

The Conservation Officer and the Cinema Theatre Association are working together to promote a re-use of the building and it is to the credit of Waltham Forrest Council that they insist that the building is retained for entertainment use and not as a church. (The London Borough of Waltham Forest is one of two London Boroughs which currently do not have a cinema operation within their boundries (Lewisham is the other Borough). The UCKG appealed against the Council’s decision to alter change of use and they lost the appeal, a decision which was backed by the Parliamentary Secretary of State for the Arts & Culture.

Being a Grade II Listed building, the current owners (UCKG) are not allowed to remove any fixtures and fittings from the building and as far as is known this has not happened. It was recently reported that the owners had actually made repairs to the building, following concerns after it was put on the ‘buildings at risk’ register by English Heritage and of course they were more than anxious to make the building more secure from intruders after the ‘rave’ had happened.

Waltham Forrest Borough Council have for a while been taking advise on planning an Arts Centre of the Borough and recently favour has swung in the direction of the former Granada/EMD Cinema to be used for this purpose. A few weeks ago, the Council decided to ditch plans for the new Arts Centra and concentrate its attention on buying and refurbishing the existing Granada/EMD. The Council have stated that they would like to come to a mutual agreement for the purchase of the building from UCKG, but might have to resort to a compulsory purchase order. Negotiations are continuing but it could take a long time before the Granada re-opens.

Fact: The Universal Church of the Kingdom of God own many former theatre and cinema buildings around the world. In Los Angeles, CA they operate the former Loews State and the Tower Theater on Broadway, the Granada at Wilmington, CA and the Bay Theater, National City, CA. to name just a few.

Here in the UK they has done a splendid job of restoring the former Astoria Theatre, Finsbury Park in North London. /theaters/1423/

Ken Roe on November 26, 2004 at 3:35 pm

The Granada Theatre opened on 15th September 1930 (built on the site of the Victoria Picture Theatre (1907-1928). It was designed by architect Cecil Masey (who created a Spanish styled entrance facade, behind which was a Spanish Baroque styled foyer lined with mirrors on the walls. The auditorium had a Moorish styled interior designed by theatre stage set designer Theodore Komisarjevsky, with a seating capacity of 2,697. It was equipped for stage shows as well as movies and had a twin console Christie theatre organ and there was a large car park and a cafe-restaurant attached.

The Granada was converted into a triple screen theatre in October 1973 using the balcony and original proscenium and projection booth for screen 1 and two small screen were constructed under the balcony. The 558 seats in the front stalls were later removed and this area became unused. The seating capacity was reduced to 944 (balcony) and 181 x 2 (in the mini’s). The Granada was given a Grade II listed building consent from 24th February 1987.

It was taken over by and re-named Cannon Cinemas in January 1989 and in July 1995 Virgin Cinemas took control and it took their name. Taken over by ABC Cinemas and re-named ABC on 28th June 1996, they were taken over by Odeon Theatre who closed the cinema in 2000. A condition of anyone wanting to re-open the theatre would be that they could not show any film in the English language. A local Asian businesman took out a lease of the theatre and re-named it EMD Cinemas, initially showing Bollywood movies until plea’s by local cinemagoers and petitions finally got the embargo lifted on showing general release films. However in the short time that it had ben screening Bollywood films, but it had lost its main audience and the EMD closed in 2001.

The Brazilian based church La Iglisia Universal purchased the building, but were prevented from using it as a church by the local Waltham Forrest Council who objected to a change of use from cinema to church. Negotiations are currently in progress with the Council prepared to purchase the theatre and lease it out to cinema operators, several having shown an interest to re-open the cinema. Meanwhile the building remains shuttered and sealed, awaiting its fate.

The Christie theatre organ is the only one left of this make in its original installation in the UK. It was still played on regual concerts until the EMD closed. (only the onstage console is in working order, the orchestra pit console was boarded over many years ago during a live performance of the Count Basie Band at the theatre).