I live near a ‘movie palace’ as we say in the states it became a church and then in the last few years it’s evolved into a multi-purpose cultural center INCLUDING showing movies. It is a GORGEOUS space and it’s one of the lucky ones. A lot of movie palaces were either destroyed or abandoned in the past.
We're lucky it's still standing many of these got torn down. I used to go to the Gaumont North Finchley as a kid a magnificent art-deco building which got demolished in 1980. As for Egyptian picture palaces there is still some hope. The Luxor in Paris lay derelict for many years but has recently been renovated and reopened and it's beautiful.
Here in Bedfordshire we had the Granada Cinema. An interwar gem, torn down in the 1990's... for no real reason at all. The ruins were a car park for quite a few years, before becoming a "Lidl" -_- . (one that stank of stale wee when new... so much for german sanitation XD)
Lmao "....and to be fair if any film's was going to make you reconsider the movie business that would be the one" is probably the only laugh it's ever had.
There's a whole story to be told about [US State] fried chicken shops! gwilymlockwood.com/2017/10/24/alaska-fried-chicken-the-uks-curious-approach-to-naming-chicken-shops/
No, the Health Centre is at best from the 1970's. It is named after the near by New River, which flowed from Ware and Amwell in Hertfordshire to a site next to the Saddlers Wells Theatre, the "River" has been diverted at the two reservoirs either side of Lordship Road, N16 to the complex of reservoirs by the River Lee at Ferry Lane. By the way the "New River" isn't new, nor a river, it's a 400 year old aqueduct which originally fed the northern part of the City of London, then larger parts of North London, now it feeds East London.
@@Puckoon2002 I've often wondered where the actual water 'goes' now the new river has been made redundant? The two reservoirs at Woodberry down still exist but the filter beds and associated bits have all gone. The river still flows so I would think 'why dont the reservoirs overflow?' ....ahh, so the water runs back down Stamford hill to Tottenham. ...be interesting subject matter for a future video?
A good book for the history and route is Exploring the New River, by Michael Essex-Lopresti. A clue to the route is look for thoroughfares with the name Myddleton or Myddelton named after the guy who had it built, Sir Hugh Myddleton. The waters from Woodbury Down runs in pipes partially following the New River, so for time the river flows in both directions along that stretch.
I took the bus along Essex Road hundreds of times before I retired and moved out of London a few years back. Thanks for the memories and thank you for improving my knowledge of this landmark building.
I love old art deco cinemas, The Dominion in Harrow looks like something out of Batman, well it did until they covered the front in gaudy steel to "modernize" it in the late '60s, but they're going to restore it to its former glory soon.
@@Larry I'm not honestly sure that there were any architectural design choices in the 1960s and early 70s. They were choices, but I don't know that an architect was involved. I class almost all buildings of that age as the "Industrial Ugly" design form. Tilt-up grey concrete on the outside, flat beige paint on the inside, and no ceilings, showing the exposed, black-painted and very dusty and cobwebbed pluming in the attic spaces.
@@JagoHazzard I used to live in Crawley. The old 1930's built cinema there, which pre-dated the new town by some 20 years, remained open as a cinema unitil the mid 80's, having been converted from a one screen theatre with gallery to a 3-screen in1979, found itself unable to compete with the newly-opened multiplex down the road, and so transformed itself into a night club. At least Crawley never lost its cinema (s) altogether at any point, unlike many other towns. Unfortunately, despite its historical significance, it was never listed, and demolished to make way for a Morrisons about 6 years ago. Morrisons have since pulled out of the town, leaving a vacant building there last time I looked.
Funny thing is, here in Oz little old cinemas were making a comeback. The bloody virus has put paid to that for the time being, but olde style cinemas were becoming fun again. Choc ices and cocktails. Beats the hell out of the US style multiplex.
Greebo Same in London, small, independent cinemas offering a premium experience have seen a resurgence in recent years. People are prepared to pay more if it means they won't have to share a space with the phone using, talk through the movie, inconsiderate chavs that seem to frequent the more commercial / mainstream cinemas these days.
@@GlasshouseandGarden I don't regard St Albans (my home town) as London suburbs, and certainly Berkhamsted isn't! Even further out, in Uckfield, East Sussex, not a million miles from where I live now, there's a charming small old cinema that is being run as an independent. As Greebo says (but in his rough antipodean language!), it beats the populist multiplexes!
That fact is nearly as depressing as On The Buses was. Even as a kid I found the TV series as funny as tooth-ache. Stan and Jack were revolting, creepy jerks, Arthur was a repellent bully, "mum" was his enabler and Olive was in desperate need of going on a mad axe rampage. According to my Google-Fu the first Steptoe and Son film was fifth in 1972 which is some comfort.
@@xxxggthyf to be fair, it was a TV show, it wasn't real. The fact that you felt all that means the actors did a good job because that is how they were supposed to come across.
Love these old cinema buildings. When I was at uni in Exeter at the turn of the century (that makes me sound old), the only major cinema in town was the Odeon on sidewell street which was a 1930s monster. Despite the carving up of the main cinema into 4 screens, the main screen still held over 800 people!
The Rainbow Astoria Finsbury Park(now a church I think), Gala Bingo in Tooting, Electric cinema Portobello rd. My local Odeon in Richmond still has its 1930s décor for the main screen.
As a big fan of London and history I found out about your TH-cam channel yesterday and I love it. Informative, well made and with a touch of humor. I am fan.
A lot of these vintage theaters in the states end up being adapted into live theater venues. For not just plays, but also concerts and other public events.
My local cinema as a child. There was another cinema a stone throw from here in New North Road - The Victoria - I spent many Saturday mornings at the Carlton children’s „Saturday morning pictures“. In the good old days the Carlton picture palace had queues outside. My aunt would go twice a week to see films One at the Carlton the other at the „Vic“ as it was locally known. Keep up your exceptional videos; living in Germany now they bring back great memories of years gone by.
you need to do a "cinemas of streatham high road" - I drive the route regularly, and am always amazed at how many cinemas / former cinemas can still be seen along a relatively short stretch of a single road.
Cinemas in London, there are so many repurposed former cinemas/theatres across London. My family and I would spend weekends travelling across London by bus to spot them and always found something new.- One of my favourites was allegedly the oldest purpose build cinema in London. In Tottenham, was a carpet salesroom when I last saw it 20-30 years ago.Can't even remember its name or the street, but was a very simple design 1900-1920's maybe?
I lived in Canonbury in the 1960s. I think I only went in this cinema once, although I passed it daily on the number 73 bus. The interior was no match for the Astoria Finsbury Park. Happy memories and thank you!
Oh great choice. That cinema is one of my favourite buildings in London. Heartbreaking seeing it uncared for. I know of a couple of other Egyptian-style post-1922 buildings in London.... Adelade House on the north side of London bridge and the entrance to Abney Park cemetary on Stoke Newington High Street
Sainsburys built an Egyptian themed store back in the 80s or early 90s but the chairman objected and the decorative features were covered shortly before or after opening. Sadly I can't remember just where it was in London and my Google search endeavours have failed so far.
Jim Tuite - Thank you, will pay attention next time I walk past Abney Park Cemetery. I went once to the Cinema on Essex Road when it was a Bingo Hall with a boyfriend's mum in the early '90's. I became fascinated by the ceiling decoration and missed a "full house" much to her disgust 🤣
@@kevinm3586 There used to be an Egyptian themed Homebase on Warwick Road in West Kensington W14, but developers have been buying up the land bit by bit, & now they're busy building luxury apartments there instead
I watched this video a couple ago months ago and to my surprise yesterday it popped up as the setting for The Roxy, an Oxford cinema in an episode of ‘Endeavour’. The exterior, foyers and other rooms are used, albeit with a degree of set dressing and CGI. The auditorium used for filming was apparently the Broadway Theatre in Catford. If anybody is interested, it is Season 5 Episode 2, ‘Cartouche’.
@Jago Hazzard another neat building but bigger, is the grand building adjacent to morning crescent underground station, the Carreras Cigarette Factory which has Egyptian features aswell.
I hope it remains and is restored. There’s so many gems like this dotted around. It’s so sad to these these places that look still so refined and elegant in their old age get left abandoned or torn down. There are plenty of great Art Deco tube stations in operation that look the same. I wish TfL would invest in their stations and restore some of the old charm they once had.
The former Carreras cigarette factory. It was stripped of its Egyptian features in the 1960s and they were re-instated (replacements) only in the 1990s.
There used to be Egyptian theaters in most US cities as well. There is still the magnificent Grauman’s in Hollywood, and even a beautifully restored smaller one in Boise, Idaho of all places. Though many were torn down long ago in the typical American rush for bigger profits or the latest fads, the tide is turning to preserve the ones that remain as attractive cities like Boise and Tucson AZ are valuing their unique heritage and seeking to draw people back into their historic downtown areas that were emptied out by the great white rush to the suburbs after WWII.
Thanks for this well-made, informative video. I'm from Singapore and interestingly, the same happened to quite a number of our old cinemas; they became churches. My guess is that the layout, tiered seats and stage and all, were perfect for sermons.
0:08 I grew up in Popham Street. You missed the location of Alfredo's cafe, by St Peters Street. It was used in the classic 1979 film Quadrophenia. Also the Banksy artwork on the wall of the chemist. Right beside where you was filming from.
A surprising number of cinemas have become churches now, for example both the Woolwich ones (including the Odeon you mentioned) are now churches. There's a very nice Wetherspoon (The Coronet) on Holloway road in a former art deco cinema too.
I guess churches and chain pubs are among the few places that could really use the space of an old-fashioned cinema. It’s one thing I’ll say in favour of Spoons, I dare say they’ve saved quite a few historic buildings.
@@JagoHazzard A good point. And in Portsmouth one Baptist church (North End) has been converted into a pub, whereas a different pub (Uncle Tom's Cabin, Cosham) has been converted into a Baptist church hall! Pretty ironic as the Baptists traditionally aren't too keen on alcohol ...
I pass there every day, and love the look of it. I hope the internal renovations are not too harsh and that it keeps its looks inside as well as outside.
And not a million miles away just a little further North, the old cinema in the Holloway Road was converted into Wetherspoons, with much of the original interior preserved. There's quite a few similarly impressive pub conversions, and to enthusiasts of London history, some of them would also be worthy of featuring in this series. On a more transport-oriented theme there's that huge arched roof structure of Stockwell Bus Garage, and the old LGOC bus repair works in North Rd, Holloway, now repuroposed as a business centre. Oh, and very close to that, the clocktower of the former Corporation of London Metropolitan Cattle Market still stands as the sole reminder of what was there until 1965.
I re,member once hoping on a CTA tour and seeing a cinema building, I think it was somewhere in the East End, which had been built somewhat in the style of a mosque. After closure as a cinema it had several other uses, until it eventually became - a mosque. Seems appropriate.
@@johnnyz3354 The cinema era was before my time but I've drunk many an excellent pint of ale in the Coronet whilst marvelling at the Art Deco interior. It's a welcome oasis in the Holloway Road good beer desert.
I first stumbled across this building in 1973 just after it had shut. Originally I think it had lights illuminating the details of the facade. There were a few Egyptian styled "super cinemas" but many have been lost e.g. Regal in Sale Cheshire. Thanks for researching the info about it.
Jago - Thank you. One comment from me....I grew up in East Finchley, London N2) and we often went to the cinema, called the Rex in the 1950s. I believe that it (renamed the Phoenix, last I knew) was one of the first purpose-built cinemas in the UK.
If you continue to want to make videos about London cinemas, have a look at what was the Himalaya Palace in Southall, beautiful and unique design, and also the remaining facade of the Ealing Broadway Cinema on the Uxbridge Road. Also a beautiful example of its era. - I have a special place in my heart for the Ealing one, having seen many films there in my teens and twenties and then later in life worked there when it was a MGM and Virgin and then another(forget the company name! -French owned Bank?).Sadly it closed for the usual reasons and most was demolished,allegedly for redevelopement, which might still happen a decade or so later. Any way like your videos,keep up the good work.
Used to work opposite that building and ever since I first saw it I was wandering "but why?". It's so odd and out of place almost as if it was teleported from a different place/ time. Imagine getting planning permission for something like that now- computer says NO. Love quirky architecture, keep this going. 19 Spa road is one of my favourite buildings that just don't belong, although not in a parrot colour scheme...
Was one of my local Sat morning venues when I was a kid growing up in Islington, then witnessed its demise through the 70's on my way to work via Essex Road tube station as it was then.
This was my first cinema experience in about 1964, taking my sister to Saturday morning pictures ‘Flipper the Dolphin & the Pirates’ I think. I can remember much bad behaviour in the intermission with the boys buying choc ices and dropping them from the balcony at the girls. All this while the organist was playing. Happy days. Other comments on The nearby Mississippi Fried Chicken are interesting- it’s excellent, with turkey standing in for pork in the traditional ham and pineapple pizza.
A problem with many cinemas for commercial use is the amount of asbestos in them, the heating, pipework, safety curtains , ceiling tiles, wall coverings, etc. If it has to be moved, it has to be removed. Costly and replacments are not always better, though safer.
Here in Downtown Seattle we have a couple of of older theaters from the the golden age of Cinema, Both today are restored used as concert venues and one the Moore Egyptian Theater (called the Moore for short) is an Egyptian style of Art Deco the other is the Paramount.....yes built and originally by Paramount Studios. both fine concert venues to this day....
Oh My, what an architectural gem! Most have passed already, here in Australia... Smoking ban? We never allowed such here Ever! I couldn't believe seeing smoking in live theatres in London in 1972: no wonder so many burnt down! Thank you again, and Keep On Keeping On. Your work, Master Jago, does not go unnoticed... 😘
@@JagoHazzard you're very welcome man, I should have included Patrick Keiller in the list as well, if they remake London or Robinson in Space surely you must be first in line.
It looks very much like the Tooting Granada - inevitably converted into a Bingo Hall - which has very interesting interior decoration, and is thus a listed building.
There’s a splendid Egyptian House in Penzance, but if thats a bit too far away, take a trip up to Hertford and take a look at what is now Lussiman’s in Fore Street (formerly the HSBC, which moved next door some time in the past two decades). Egyptology mania.
Yet another facet to Jago's encyclopaedic knowledge. The other cinemas designed by this guy (not Jago, the architect here) sound equally fascinating, and remarkably varied architecturally.
Not far away next to Islington Green is one of the oldest still-functioning London cinemas - originally named The Empress Electric Theatre opened in October 1913., now ‘The Screen’. Another Islington gem was the Finsbury Park ‘Astoria’, decorated inside as a Moorish town complete with a forecourt fountain.
The Astoria became the Rainbow and has a firm place in rock history. If you were a band in the 70s and played in London it was the dreadful Hammersmith Odeon or the magnificent Rainbow with twinkling lights on its black ceiling and Moorish decorations. Now a nutty church
There's loads of former cinemas around Piccadilly Circus. The one on Piccadilly, next to Clydesdale Bank House (home to the clothes shop N Peal), still has it's solid awning.
Abandoned or change of use cinemas is a huge subject all on its own - some tragic stories of lost treasures and stories of success in restoration (The Finsbury Park Astoria being a stunning example of restoration - The Astoria chain is a good place to start on cinema architecture with sister theatre Brixton O2 still in use, and the Streatham Odeon carved up into a multiples. The Tottenham Court Road Astoria demolished just over a decade ago for Crossrail). Whatever you may think of religion and in particular the evangelical organisations which tend to buy these old cinemas, at least they commit to restoring them and keep them in use. One other point you might like to explore - at the back of the old Carlton runs the old course of the "New River" on its way to Islington from Manor House (where it got cut off to divert into the reservoirs there. The history of New River is fascinating especially about Hugh Myddleton who financed it which is why there are many "Myddleton Road" or similar along it's interesting route. Much of the course is preserved and is a great walk through the back streets of Cannonbury and Islington. The river of course still runs from its source near Ware in Hertfordshire to the reservoir in Manor House (with the Castle shaped pump house (now a climbing centre) and is also worth exploring.
This is remarkably similar to the story of the Broadway cinema on Portswood Road in Southampton. That was also built in the 1930s, became a bingo hall and is now a church. The Carlton is the more impressive building though!
Go back to that first shot of the pub, which I think was a music hall in the C19th, Columbia Records through its Regal label issued a charity disc or two from the music halls , where the MC I think was related to that, or one in the area, The disc/s were re done from the 78s onto EPs in the 1960s
It does look like an interesting building.It is too bad that the age of “picture palaces” is over. It looks like regular cinemas will become a thing of the past soon enough too, due to the pandemic and people just wanting to stream movies in their basements. I still remember going to the movies was a special thing with my parents. My dad would always smuggle in snacks. It’s not the same for kids like my niece. Nothing is a treat because they get everything they want and they get it now.
That reminds me, if ever you get a chance to analyse London’s 1920s/1930s telephone exchange buildings, that would be very welcome - there is definitely one in tooting (what was combined with a employ,met exchange) and several in Wimbledon. Huge buildings that were necessary when telephone systems required masses of cable!
I once looked up the building in Google Maps and the streetview level is from 2015, but I once virtually walked past it through the back and then into the narrow street where you also come across houses a bit further, it looks pretty neat, which I What is striking is that they have private parking places everywhere in London and that must have a reason. I am not so well known in London because London is big !! but I have often been there for my work as a truck driver and also mainly driven through London at night, but then suddenly other rules apply and that is open because the foxes pass you on all sides, especially near parks, it seems I've been told to be some kind of plague. All in all an interesting video with ditto story.
Never had oppo to go in the Charlton, but have always loved travelling up n down Essex road ( early 1960's onward) more so that Upper street, Was it coz it felt more 'working class' than the Highbury corner link toward the Angel ??? The Charlton was always a visual pleasure as too the Georgian fronted building before new north road which always intrigued because of 2 giant bottles of beer that adorned the frontage. (i think it was a brewery, On corner of Haliford st and Essex road. i vaguely recall trying to find out the history, many many years ago. The other favourite was a toy shop situated up near the little Angel theatre (Essex road side). i think it was one of the shops on the stepped up paving between Dagmar terrace and cross st. Each memory i write spurs another, needless to say, there was the cafe with the yellow glass front which has featured in many a period film, Quadrophenia, the entrance to Camden passage (a must in the 70's). I've forgotton more than i remember, so going to go away and recall from the journeys from Stokenewington Church street all the way thru to penton rise, kings cross and into school, which often would see me stay on the bus and journey onto the museums in Kensington where i did my real learning. ( :
Fascinating. You might want to have a look at the Zoroastrian Centre in Rayners Lane, also a former Art Deco cinema, beautifully restored and adapted for London's Zoroastrian community.
The ABC cinema in Northampton, a beautiful art deco building, was taken over by the Jesus Army back in the early 80's. As far as I know they still own it but I've not been back to the UK for many years.
There are at least two former 1930s cinemas in tooting that have been uncomfortably repurposed and make me feel sad every time I see them. It’s a similar story across the city and even country.
Yeah, similar sort of humour. It was based on a sitcom set in a bus depot that centred on a laddish bus crew. Really popular in the 70s, but critically panned. As you probably gathered from the narration, not my thing
The tv show is fairly easy to watch on-line. It was a London Weekend Television show, so doesn't suffer the blood squeezing stone hand of the BBC, which kills any BeeB show folk try and post on TH-cam. I loved it as a 10 year old, but it ain't aged well; like the main character in the show.
@@glynwelshkarelian3489 not for OTB, but the nostalgia I feel reading LWT is weird… it’s all just ITV now and future generations won’t get the same kind of fondness for certain parts of the network. Oh well
Hi Jago, this may be a particularly droll suggestion for a video, but if there's anyone who can find something interesting on a topic its you! SWR currently use the district line after hours to move stock to their wimbledon depot. There's a single track that runs from the Waterloo-Richmond mainline to the District Line joining at East Putney tube station, There used to be two tracks but one was removed decades ago, though remains of the bridge can still be seen. East Putney station still has platforms 3 & 4 also from when this line was in actual service. This is all I know, but maybe there is more to discover. There may not be much of an interesting story behind it, but its at the end of my actual garden, so I'm a little biased.
Funnily enough, I once used that connection, many years ago late at night. It was the very last train of the night. I don’t know if that service still runs or even if it was a regular thing. It may indeed be worth a look.
There is certainly an interesting story to that line. As far as I know it was built by the LSWR and owned by them, the SR and BR. I remember the stations from East Putney to Wimbledon having BR style nameboards, though BR trains never stopped there. Apparently it was sold to London Transport in 1994 for £1, but presumably BR and successors kept permanent running powers so they could still use it for depot trains at night.
I saw Blue Water White Death (people in wet suits frolicking with sharks) there in 1971 or 1972. I think it was called the ABC then, with the name confirmed by a fellow Islingtonian filmgoer.
I live near a ‘movie palace’ as we say in the states it became a church and then in the last few years it’s evolved into a multi-purpose cultural center INCLUDING showing movies. It is a GORGEOUS space and it’s one of the lucky ones. A lot of movie palaces were either destroyed or abandoned in the past.
We're lucky it's still standing many of these got torn down. I used to go to the Gaumont North Finchley as a kid a magnificent art-deco building which got demolished in 1980. As for Egyptian picture palaces there is still some hope. The Luxor in Paris lay derelict for many years but has recently been renovated and reopened and it's beautiful.
I do miss the Hertford County. Torn down for a Mercedes showroom it was. A kick in the teeth of the youth
Here in Bedfordshire we had the Granada Cinema. An interwar gem, torn down in the 1990's... for no real reason at all. The ruins were a car park for quite a few years, before becoming a "Lidl" -_- .
(one that stank of stale wee when new... so much for german sanitation XD)
Lmao "....and to be fair if any film's was going to make you reconsider the movie business that would be the one" is probably the only laugh it's ever had.
I thought that too!
"I'll get you Jago!"
😆😆😆😆😆
"Mississippi fried chicken" is definitely the standout highlight of this video for me
That cracked me up and I’m an American.
There's a whole story to be told about [US State] fried chicken shops! gwilymlockwood.com/2017/10/24/alaska-fried-chicken-the-uks-curious-approach-to-naming-chicken-shops/
Wonder why they picked Mississippi, rather some less lengthy name? (from an American)
@@rollinwithunclepete824 Southern US state most Brits have heard of and which wasn't already trademarked?
@@thryduulf They'll be naming them after counties next.
So that's why there are so many bingo halls that look like theatres in London! Thanks for the great video and information Jago 👍🏽
0:33 They missed an opportunity to call it the River Nile Health Centre.
No, the Health Centre is at best from the 1970's. It is named after the near by New River, which flowed from Ware and Amwell in Hertfordshire to a site next to the Saddlers Wells Theatre, the "River" has been diverted at the two reservoirs either side of Lordship Road, N16 to the complex of reservoirs by the River Lee at Ferry Lane.
By the way the "New River" isn't new, nor a river, it's a 400 year old aqueduct which originally fed the northern part of the City of London, then larger parts of North London, now it feeds East London.
@@Puckoon2002 I've often wondered where the actual water 'goes' now the new river has been made redundant?
The two reservoirs at Woodberry down still exist but the filter beds and associated bits have all gone. The river still flows so I would think 'why dont the reservoirs overflow?'
....ahh, so the water runs back down Stamford hill to Tottenham.
...be interesting subject matter for a future video?
A good book for the history and route is Exploring the New River, by Michael Essex-Lopresti.
A clue to the route is look for thoroughfares with the name Myddleton or Myddelton named after the guy who had it built, Sir Hugh Myddleton.
The waters from Woodbury Down runs in pipes partially following the New River, so for time the river flows in both directions along that stretch.
The proprietors being called Cleo and Petra!
If someone phoned and asked where you were you could say, "I'm in Da Nile".
I took the bus along Essex Road hundreds of times before I retired and moved out of London a few years back. Thanks for the memories and thank you for improving my knowledge of this landmark building.
I love old art deco cinemas, The Dominion in Harrow looks like something out of Batman, well it did until they covered the front in gaudy steel to "modernize" it in the late '60s, but they're going to restore it to its former glory soon.
That’s good to hear. I think architectural trends have become more appreciative of the past in recent years.
@@JagoHazzard And societity desperately trying to reverse every artistic design choice of the 60s and 70s :D
@@Larry I'm not honestly sure that there were any architectural design choices in the 1960s and early 70s. They were choices, but I don't know that an architect was involved. I class almost all buildings of that age as the "Industrial Ugly" design form. Tilt-up grey concrete on the outside, flat beige paint on the inside, and no ceilings, showing the exposed, black-painted and very dusty and cobwebbed pluming in the attic spaces.
@@JagoHazzard I used to live in Crawley. The old 1930's built cinema there, which pre-dated the new town by some 20 years, remained open as a cinema unitil the mid 80's, having been converted from a one screen theatre with gallery to a 3-screen in1979, found itself unable to compete with the newly-opened multiplex down the road, and so transformed itself into a night club. At least Crawley never lost its cinema (s) altogether at any point, unlike many other towns. Unfortunately, despite its historical significance, it was never listed, and demolished to make way for a Morrisons about 6 years ago. Morrisons have since pulled out of the town, leaving a vacant building there last time I looked.
Funny thing is, here in Oz little old cinemas were making a comeback. The bloody virus has put paid to that for the time being, but olde style cinemas were becoming fun again. Choc ices and cocktails. Beats the hell out of the US style multiplex.
Greebo Same in London, small, independent cinemas offering a premium experience have seen a resurgence in recent years. People are prepared to pay more if it means they won't have to share a space with the phone using, talk through the movie, inconsiderate chavs that seem to frequent the more commercial / mainstream cinemas these days.
Who wants to go see a movie at a place Cineplex Odeon AMC 35?? Yuk.
Spencer Wilton And in the ‘burbs. Two great cinemas opened (re-opened) in Berkhamsted and St Albans.
@@GlasshouseandGarden I don't regard St Albans (my home town) as London suburbs, and certainly Berkhamsted isn't! Even further out, in Uckfield, East Sussex, not a million miles from where I live now, there's a charming small old cinema that is being run as an independent. As Greebo says (but in his rough antipodean language!), it beats the populist multiplexes!
@@davidw1518 Not all burbs are London burbs.
Went past Essex rd many time and saw this Building. Always wondered what it was now I know. Thank you for sharing. 🙏
Being from Australia and the current inability to travel, your videos are a much welcome relief from the real world. Oh how I miss the uk.
Glad you’re enjoying them!
'Mutiny On The Buses' was actually a hit. 17th largest grossing movie in the UK of 1972.
That fact is nearly as depressing as On The Buses was. Even as a kid I found the TV series as funny as tooth-ache. Stan and Jack were revolting, creepy jerks, Arthur was a repellent bully, "mum" was his enabler and Olive was in desperate need of going on a mad axe rampage.
According to my Google-Fu the first Steptoe and Son film was fifth in 1972 which is some comfort.
@@xxxggthyf to be fair, it was a TV show, it wasn't real. The fact that you felt all that means the actors did a good job because that is how they were supposed to come across.
@@albertsmith1879 Their acting ability is neither here nor there. The whole thing was chronically unfunny, sexist, racist and thoroughly unpleasant.
@@albertsmith1879 But it was supposed to be funny, not a depiction of a hell-ish life. They failed at the former, and succeeded at the latter.
@@xxxggthyf perfect light entertainment then !
Love these old cinema buildings. When I was at uni in Exeter at the turn of the century (that makes me sound old), the only major cinema in town was the Odeon on sidewell street which was a 1930s monster. Despite the carving up of the main cinema into 4 screens, the main screen still held over 800 people!
The act deco features of these old cinemas are superb. The Troxy in Tower Hamlets is another fantastic example.
The Rainbow Astoria Finsbury Park(now a church I think), Gala Bingo in Tooting, Electric cinema Portobello rd. My local Odeon in Richmond still has its 1930s décor for the main screen.
As a big fan of London and history I found out about your TH-cam channel yesterday and I love it. Informative, well made and with a touch of humor. I am fan.
Thanks!
A lot of these vintage theaters in the states end up being adapted into live theater venues. For not just plays, but also concerts and other public events.
My local cinema as a child. There was another cinema a stone throw from here in New North Road - The Victoria - I spent many Saturday mornings at the Carlton children’s „Saturday morning pictures“. In the good old days the Carlton picture palace had queues outside. My aunt would go twice a week to see films One at the Carlton the other at the „Vic“ as it was locally known. Keep up your exceptional videos; living in Germany now they bring back great memories of years gone by.
you need to do a "cinemas of streatham high road" - I drive the route regularly, and am always amazed at how many cinemas / former cinemas can still be seen along a relatively short stretch of a single road.
Cinemas in London, there are so many repurposed former cinemas/theatres across London. My family and I would spend weekends travelling across London by bus to spot them and always found something new.- One of my favourites was allegedly the oldest purpose build cinema in London. In Tottenham, was a carpet salesroom when I last saw it 20-30 years ago.Can't even remember its name or the street, but was a very simple design 1900-1920's maybe?
I lived in Canonbury in the 1960s. I think I only went in this cinema once, although I passed it daily on the number 73 bus. The interior was no match for the Astoria Finsbury Park. Happy memories and thank you!
Oh great choice. That cinema is one of my favourite buildings in London. Heartbreaking seeing it uncared for.
I know of a couple of other Egyptian-style post-1922 buildings in London.... Adelade House on the north side of London bridge and the entrance to Abney Park cemetary on Stoke Newington High Street
Sainsburys built an Egyptian themed store back in the 80s or early 90s but the chairman objected and the decorative features were covered shortly before or after opening. Sadly I can't remember just where it was in London and my Google search endeavours have failed so far.
Jim Tuite - Thank you, will pay attention next time I walk past Abney Park Cemetery. I went once to the Cinema on Essex Road when it was a Bingo Hall with a boyfriend's mum in the early '90's. I became fascinated by the ceiling decoration and missed a "full house" much to her disgust 🤣
@@lisawilliams7836 haha great!
@@lisawilliams7836 😆😆😆
@@kevinm3586 There used to be an Egyptian themed Homebase on Warwick Road in West Kensington W14, but developers have been buying up the land bit by bit, & now they're busy building luxury apartments there instead
Fantastic! I've always wondered about the history of this wonderful building and you've done it all in just over 3 mins!! Keep up the great work.
I watched this video a couple ago months ago and to my surprise yesterday it popped up as the setting for The Roxy, an Oxford cinema in an episode of ‘Endeavour’. The exterior, foyers and other rooms are used, albeit with a degree of set dressing and CGI. The auditorium used for filming was apparently the Broadway Theatre in Catford. If anybody is interested, it is Season 5 Episode 2, ‘Cartouche’.
@Jago Hazzard another neat building but bigger, is the grand building adjacent to morning crescent underground station, the Carreras Cigarette Factory which has Egyptian features aswell.
Watch this space...
The "Mississippi Fried Chicken" next door made me chuckle!
I love your posts especially the underground ones, presented in such a laid back, humorous manner
Thanks!
When you've got a meeting with the Pharaohs at 7 and a cinema trip at 9 😂😂
Some more Art Deco videos like this one of London please! Maybe, a nostalgic one on the mainly now defunct Great West Road?
I hope it remains and is restored. There’s so many gems like this dotted around. It’s so sad to these these places that look still so refined and elegant in their old age get left abandoned or torn down. There are plenty of great Art Deco tube stations in operation that look the same. I wish TfL would invest in their stations and restore some of the old charm they once had.
I used to work at Greater London House opposite Mornington Crescent. Now that is Egyptian design mania x 100!
That’s one I’d like to do a video about.
@@JagoHazzard please do Jago! Building looks like taken from fantasy world!
The former Carreras cigarette factory. It was stripped of its Egyptian features in the 1960s and they were re-instated (replacements) only in the 1990s.
@@JagoHazzard ... and three months later, you have!
There used to be Egyptian theaters in most US cities as well. There is still the magnificent Grauman’s in Hollywood, and even a beautifully restored smaller one in Boise, Idaho of all places.
Though many were torn down long ago in the typical American rush for bigger profits or the latest fads, the tide is turning to preserve the ones that remain as attractive cities like Boise and Tucson AZ are valuing their unique heritage and seeking to draw people back into their historic downtown areas that were emptied out by the great white rush to the suburbs after WWII.
Thanks for this well-made, informative video. I'm from Singapore and interestingly, the same happened to quite a number of our old cinemas; they became churches. My guess is that the layout, tiered seats and stage and all, were perfect for sermons.
0:08 I grew up in Popham Street.
You missed the location of Alfredo's cafe, by St Peters Street. It was used in the classic 1979 film Quadrophenia.
Also the Banksy artwork on the wall of the chemist. Right beside where you was filming from.
Bansky art work is completely distributed now even though they put plastic on it
Great video jago, I'm glad it's been saved, as so many beautiful cinema have been closed and left to rot, we have a few in Portsmouth, long gone👍😀👌
A surprising number of cinemas have become churches now, for example both the Woolwich ones (including the Odeon you mentioned) are now churches. There's a very nice Wetherspoon (The Coronet) on Holloway road in a former art deco cinema too.
I guess churches and chain pubs are among the few places that could really use the space of an old-fashioned cinema. It’s one thing I’ll say in favour of Spoons, I dare say they’ve saved quite a few historic buildings.
@@JagoHazzard A good point. And in Portsmouth one Baptist church (North End) has been converted into a pub, whereas a different pub (Uncle Tom's Cabin, Cosham) has been converted into a Baptist church hall! Pretty ironic as the Baptists traditionally aren't too keen on alcohol ...
Marvellous building!!!
Can't believe how fast this channel is growing, I subbed around the 1.5k
A beautiful building, it would have been extra special to see a film there.
So, Larry Grayson appeared in a film with Harold Lloyd - you learn something new every video...
Another great film! Thank you.
Another gem of a video. Thank you.
mutiny on the buses deserved an oscar
Not.
I pass there every day, and love the look of it. I hope the internal renovations are not too harsh and that it keeps its looks inside as well as outside.
And not a million miles away just a little further North, the old cinema in the Holloway Road was converted into Wetherspoons, with much of the original interior preserved. There's quite a few similarly impressive pub conversions, and to enthusiasts of London history, some of them would also be worthy of featuring in this series.
On a more transport-oriented theme there's that huge arched roof structure of Stockwell Bus Garage, and the old LGOC bus repair works in North Rd, Holloway, now repuroposed as a business centre. Oh, and very close to that, the clocktower of the former Corporation of London Metropolitan Cattle Market still stands as the sole reminder of what was there until 1965.
I re,member once hoping on a CTA tour and seeing a cinema building, I think it was somewhere in the East End, which had been built somewhat in the style of a mosque. After closure as a cinema it had several other uses, until it eventually became - a mosque. Seems appropriate.
@@srfurley Could you possibly be thinking of the People's Palace in the Mile End Road? That was certainly a distinctive looking building.
@@johnrgm3047 I used to go to Saturday morning pictures at the cinema in Holloway Road, it used to be called the ABC.
@@johnnyz3354 The cinema era was before my time but I've drunk many an excellent pint of ale in the Coronet whilst marvelling at the Art Deco interior. It's a welcome oasis in the Holloway Road good beer desert.
I first stumbled across this building in 1973 just after it had shut. Originally I think it had lights illuminating the details of the facade. There were a few Egyptian styled "super cinemas" but many have been lost e.g. Regal in Sale Cheshire. Thanks for researching the info about it.
Jago - Thank you. One comment from me....I grew up in East Finchley, London N2) and we often went to the cinema, called the Rex in the 1950s. I believe that it (renamed the Phoenix, last I knew) was one of the first purpose-built cinemas in the UK.
Hey I liked mutiny on the buses
Stephen Lewis (the actor who played Blakie the inspector) often made cameos on Noel's House Party.
Sadly, Mr Lewis passed back in 2015.
So did the public at the time, it was a successful film.
@@RichardWatt He popped up in an episode of 'One foot in the Grave' ........one of the best ones!!
I always go past it, never knew what it was! Thanks for making this
Very good video, loved the ghost sign too, a golden gem there.
I saw so many films there in my younger days.
If you continue to want to make videos about London cinemas, have a look at what was the Himalaya Palace in Southall, beautiful and unique design, and also the remaining facade of the Ealing Broadway Cinema on the Uxbridge Road. Also a beautiful example of its era. - I have a special place in my heart for the Ealing one, having seen many films there in my teens and twenties and then later in life worked there when it was a MGM and Virgin and then another(forget the company name! -French owned Bank?).Sadly it closed for the usual reasons and most was demolished,allegedly for redevelopement, which might still happen a decade or so later. Any way like your videos,keep up the good work.
Used to work opposite that building and ever since I first saw it I was wandering "but why?". It's so odd and out of place almost as if it was teleported from a different place/ time. Imagine getting planning permission for something like that now- computer says NO. Love quirky architecture, keep this going. 19 Spa road is one of my favourite buildings that just don't belong, although not in a parrot colour scheme...
we are getting close to 15k! congrats on 12,200!
Oh to go see a movie, with vaudeville acts mixed in. What a delight. "When I'm washin' windows!"
Was one of my local Sat morning venues when I was a kid growing up in Islington, then witnessed its demise through the 70's on my way to work via Essex Road tube station as it was then.
This was my first cinema experience in about 1964, taking my sister to Saturday morning pictures ‘Flipper the Dolphin & the Pirates’ I think. I can remember much bad behaviour in the intermission with the boys buying choc ices and dropping them from the balcony at the girls. All this while the organist was playing. Happy days. Other comments on The nearby Mississippi Fried Chicken are interesting- it’s excellent, with turkey standing in for pork in the traditional ham and pineapple pizza.
A problem with many cinemas for commercial use is the amount of asbestos in them, the heating, pipework, safety curtains , ceiling tiles, wall coverings, etc. If it has to be moved, it has to be removed. Costly and replacments are not always better, though safer.
I'm in the US and I'm kinda fascinated by that Mississippi Fried Chicken.
KFC recently did an advert about all those knock-offs. It was fairly entertaining.
Not if you ate it😆
Here in Downtown Seattle we have a couple of of older theaters from the the golden age of Cinema, Both today are restored used as concert venues and one the Moore Egyptian Theater (called the Moore for short) is an Egyptian style of Art Deco the other is the Paramount.....yes built and originally by Paramount Studios. both fine concert venues to this day....
Oh My, what an architectural gem! Most have passed already, here in Australia... Smoking ban? We never allowed such here Ever! I couldn't believe seeing smoking in live theatres in London in 1972: no wonder so many burnt down!
Thank you again, and Keep On Keeping On. Your work, Master Jago, does not go unnoticed... 😘
A similar fate for the Woolwich Odeon, where I last saw Titantic.... But I’m glad to see the buildings in use and loved by their new audience.
Love your videos 👏🏼🙏🏽 I grew up round the corner on Liverpool Road, so love seeing familiar places in your vids! 👍🏼
Nairn, Meades, Jago, you're in good company.
Thanks!
@@JagoHazzard you're very welcome man, I should have included Patrick Keiller in the list as well, if they remake London or Robinson in Space surely you must be first in line.
It looks very much like the Tooting Granada - inevitably converted into a Bingo Hall - which has very interesting interior decoration, and is thus a listed building.
There’s a splendid Egyptian House in Penzance, but if thats a bit too far away, take a trip up to Hertford and take a look at what is now Lussiman’s in Fore Street (formerly the HSBC, which moved next door some time in the past two decades). Egyptology mania.
Last time I was here, you had 1K! Well done Jago, can't wait for your next video!
Subscribed. Interesting topics delivered with humour...which always helps :)
1922: Egypt mania
2022: Jago mania
Unfortunately, the building they put up in tribute to me was a tin shack that blew over. Most embarrassing.
Yet another facet to Jago's encyclopaedic knowledge. The other cinemas designed by this guy (not Jago, the architect here) sound equally fascinating, and remarkably varied architecturally.
Not far away next to Islington Green is one of the oldest still-functioning London cinemas - originally named The Empress Electric Theatre opened in October 1913., now ‘The Screen’. Another Islington gem was the Finsbury Park ‘Astoria’, decorated inside as a Moorish town complete with a forecourt fountain.
The Astoria became the Rainbow and has a firm place in rock history. If you were a band in the 70s and played in London it was the dreadful Hammersmith Odeon or the magnificent Rainbow with twinkling lights on its black ceiling and Moorish decorations. Now a nutty church
There's loads of former cinemas around Piccadilly Circus. The one on Piccadilly, next to Clydesdale Bank House (home to the clothes shop N Peal), still has it's solid awning.
Abandoned or change of use cinemas is a huge subject all on its own - some tragic stories of lost treasures and stories of success in restoration (The Finsbury Park Astoria being a stunning example of restoration - The Astoria chain is a good place to start on cinema architecture with sister theatre Brixton O2 still in use, and the Streatham Odeon carved up into a multiples. The Tottenham Court Road Astoria demolished just over a decade ago for Crossrail). Whatever you may think of religion and in particular the evangelical organisations which tend to buy these old cinemas, at least they commit to restoring them and keep them in use.
One other point you might like to explore - at the back of the old Carlton runs the old course of the "New River" on its way to Islington from Manor House (where it got cut off to divert into the reservoirs there. The history of New River is fascinating especially about Hugh Myddleton who financed it which is why there are many "Myddleton Road" or similar along it's interesting route. Much of the course is preserved and is a great walk through the back streets of Cannonbury and Islington. The river of course still runs from its source near Ware in Hertfordshire to the reservoir in Manor House (with the Castle shaped pump house (now a climbing centre) and is also worth exploring.
This is remarkably similar to the story of the Broadway cinema on Portswood Road in Southampton. That was also built in the 1930s, became a bingo hall and is now a church. The Carlton is the more impressive building though!
Very interesting videos - keep up the good work 👍
Good writing!
Very cool!
Go back to that first shot of the pub, which I think was a music hall in the C19th, Columbia Records through its Regal label issued a charity disc or two from the music halls , where the MC I think was related to that, or one in the area, The disc/s were re done from the 78s onto EPs in the 1960s
It does look like an interesting building.It is too bad that the age of “picture palaces” is over. It looks like regular cinemas will become a thing of the past soon enough too, due to the pandemic and people just wanting to stream movies in their basements. I still remember going to the movies was a special thing with my parents. My dad would always smuggle in snacks. It’s not the same for kids like my niece. Nothing is a treat because they get everything they want and they get it now.
That reminds me, if ever you get a chance to analyse London’s 1920s/1930s telephone exchange buildings, that would be very welcome - there is definitely one in tooting (what was combined with a employ,met exchange) and several in Wimbledon. Huge buildings that were necessary when telephone systems required masses of cable!
I once looked up the building in Google Maps and the streetview level is from 2015, but I once virtually walked past it through the back and then into the narrow street where you also come across houses a bit further, it looks pretty neat, which I What is striking is that they have private parking places everywhere in London and that must have a reason.
I am not so well known in London because London is big !! but I have often been there for my work as a truck driver and also mainly driven through London at night, but then suddenly other rules apply and that is open because the foxes pass you on all sides, especially near parks, it seems I've been told to be some kind of plague.
All in all an interesting video with ditto story.
Nothing wrong with on the buses. Different times.
Another 'Odd little thing' is the old Network South East flash on the Essex Road station sign...
I watched a upload yesterday you were at 12.7k now it's 12.9 k. I am impressed. Andy England 🇬🇧👍
Never had oppo to go in the Charlton, but have always loved travelling up n down Essex road ( early 1960's onward) more so that Upper street, Was it coz it felt more 'working class' than the Highbury corner link toward the Angel ??? The Charlton was always a visual pleasure as too the Georgian fronted building before new north road which always intrigued because of 2 giant bottles of beer that adorned the frontage. (i think it was a brewery, On corner of Haliford st and Essex road. i vaguely recall trying to find out the history, many many years ago. The other favourite was a toy shop situated up near the little Angel theatre (Essex road side). i think it was one of the shops on the stepped up paving between Dagmar terrace and cross st. Each memory i write spurs another, needless to say, there was the cafe with the yellow glass front which has featured in many a period film, Quadrophenia, the entrance to Camden passage (a must in the 70's). I've forgotton more than i remember, so going to go away and recall from the journeys from Stokenewington Church street all the way thru to penton rise, kings cross and into school, which often would see me stay on the bus and journey onto the museums in Kensington where i did my real learning. ( :
I thought that this place looked familiar - it, at least the exterior, was used in Endeavour (Series 5, Episode 2)
Fantastic. I enjoy all your videos, but those about early 20th century architecture the most.
Fascinating. You might want to have a look at the Zoroastrian Centre in Rayners Lane, also a former Art Deco cinema, beautifully restored and adapted for London's Zoroastrian community.
Looks like a potential Wetherspoons pub
The ABC cinema in Northampton, a beautiful art deco building, was taken over by the Jesus Army back in the early 80's. As far as I know they still own it but I've not been back to the UK for many years.
No fan of the happy clappies but it is a good use of a building with no use.
Wasn’t this the cinema used in an episode of ‘Endeavour’, for the premiere of a ‘Curse Of the Mummy’ type movie? (Ah, it was called ‘Scarab’ I think)
Yes it was - little bit of prop work/and to hide the chicken shop and tart up the facade.
There are at least two former 1930s cinemas in tooting that have been uncomfortably repurposed and make me feel sad every time I see them. It’s a similar story across the city and even country.
Well now I want to know what Mutiny on the Buses was like. Similar to the Carry On movies maybe?
Yeah, similar sort of humour. It was based on a sitcom set in a bus depot that centred on a laddish bus crew. Really popular in the 70s, but critically panned. As you probably gathered from the narration, not my thing
The tv show is fairly easy to watch on-line. It was a London Weekend Television show, so doesn't suffer the blood squeezing stone hand of the BBC, which kills any BeeB show folk try and post on TH-cam. I loved it as a 10 year old, but it ain't aged well; like the main character in the show.
@@glynwelshkarelian3489 not for OTB, but the nostalgia I feel reading LWT is weird… it’s all just ITV now and future generations won’t get the same kind of fondness for certain parts of the network. Oh well
I would have been very surprised if it ~weren't~ an old movie palace.
Hi Jago, this may be a particularly droll suggestion for a video, but if there's anyone who can find something interesting on a topic its you! SWR currently use the district line after hours to move stock to their wimbledon depot. There's a single track that runs from the Waterloo-Richmond mainline to the District Line joining at East Putney tube station, There used to be two tracks but one was removed decades ago, though remains of the bridge can still be seen. East Putney station still has platforms 3 & 4 also from when this line was in actual service. This is all I know, but maybe there is more to discover. There may not be much of an interesting story behind it, but its at the end of my actual garden, so I'm a little biased.
Funnily enough, I once used that connection, many years ago late at night. It was the very last train of the night. I don’t know if that service still runs or even if it was a regular thing. It may indeed be worth a look.
There is certainly an interesting story to that line. As far as I know it was built by the LSWR and owned by them, the SR and BR. I remember the stations from East Putney to Wimbledon having BR style nameboards, though BR trains never stopped there. Apparently it was sold to London Transport in 1994 for £1, but presumably BR and successors kept permanent running powers so they could still use it for depot trains at night.
I love the sheer showmanship of that era.
Most curious.
Is it the case that religious buildings are exempt from certain rates?
I agree with you about George Coles, he was always tops in my opinion. I take it the organ has long gone....?
I fear so.
You sound just like Dominic Frisby from "How Do They Do That" ! ;) Great content FYI! :D
At times, you sound like Michael Buerk, which is a compliment.
I saw Blue Water White Death (people in wet suits frolicking with sharks) there in 1971 or 1972. I think it was called the ABC then, with the name confirmed by a fellow Islingtonian filmgoer.
The US would challenge you on who's the greatest theater designer with our S. Charles Lee.
The smoking ban killed a lot of entertainment venues unfortunately.
I thought 'Mississippi Fried Chicken' was going to be the subject of this video :)
I just think every historian talks about Mississippi Fried Chicken, I wanted to do something different.