Stanford Hall Cinema & Theatre

Located in Stanford on Soar, Nottinghamshire, to the north of Loughborough. Stanford Hall was built in 1774. In 1928 it was purchased by Julien Cahn. In 1937 he commissioned noted cinema architect Cecil Aubrey Masey to build a cinema/theatre inside the hall. Designed in an Art Deco style with interior decorations by interior decorator/designer J.E. Redding and murals by artist Beatrice McDermott. It was equipped with a Wurlitzer 2 manual 5 ranks theatre organ, which had originally been installed in 1926 in the Madeleine Theatre, Paris, France. The organ was enlarged for its installation at Stanford Hall and the console is on a lift in the orchestra pit. The Stanford Hall Cinema Theatre has a fully equipped stage. It was opened in January 1938 with a variety show, which was open to the general public to attend. It was used as a cinema to provide entertainment for guests staying at Stanford Hall and was also available for the general public to attend when not needed for private screenings.

Sir Julien Cahn died in 1944, and in 1945 Stanford Hall was purchased by the Co-Operative Union and it became a college. The Cinema Theatre continued to operate and was used by the residential students, and again by the general public. Many live performances were produced by the Midland Theatre Company.

In 2001, the Co-Operative Union vacated the building and moved to Manchester. Stanford Hall was sold to a property developer, who planned to build flats & housing on the vast estate that contains the hall. Those plans never materialised and the Stanford Hall Cinema Theatre was closed in 2004.

In October 2011, Stanford Hall & its surrounding land were purchased by Gerald Grosvenor, the Duke of Westminster (one of the richest persons in the UK). He donated the hall & its grounds to the Defence and National Rehabilitation Centre with the purpose of providing facilities for respite and care to rehabilitate military personnel who have received injuries during their active service.

The Stanford Hall Cinema Theatre is a Grade II* Listed building (listed by English Heritage on 14th May 1952). Sadly it is no longer available for access to the general public to enter. It is presumed that the Cinema Theatre is used as recreational facility. It is doubtful if the Wurlitzer organ is used.

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