Conservation & Heritage Issue 50 Winter 2025/Spring 2026 - Flipbook - Page 115
Cllr Rosalind Doré, cabinet member for Libraries, Culture
and Sports and Leisure said:
“
When plans emerged to convert it into a church, local
residents, businesses, and campaign groups—led by the
McGuffin Film Society and Save Walthamstow Cinema—
fought to preserve its heritage. More than 1,000 people
attended planning meetings, and almost every local business
backed the cause.
We are delighted to announce the revival of our iconic
venue, which embodies our vision from Waltham Forest
as a vibrant ‘cultural neighbourhood’. This investment
not only enriches our community but also strengthens
our commitment to creating an economy that benefits
everyone. As part of the London Borough of Culture
2019 legacy, we are dedicated to placing culture at the
heart of our borough, enhancing the local evening and
night-time economy while supporting our businesses
and residents.’’
In 2010, the Waltham Forest Cinema Trust was formed
and, together with Soho Theatre, proposed an ambitious
plan to revive the building as an entertainment venue while
respecting its historic character. Their efforts paid off in 2012
when a public inquiry confirmed that the former Granada
Cinema should have a cultural future.
History
By 2014, part of the building reopened as Mirth, Marvel and
Maud, allowing visitors to once again enjoy its grand interiors.
The council and Soho Theatre continued developing plans
for full restoration.
The Grade II* listed building was built in 1930 as a 2,697seat cinema, The Granada, during the height of the cinema
boom of the 1930s.
Films have been shown on the site since 1896, and the current
building was once frequented by Alfred Hitchcock. It later
became a celebrated concert venue, hosting stars such as The
Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Who, Dusty Springfield,
and Buddy Holly.
In 2018, funding was secured for the building’s purchase and
restoration, with Soho Theatre set to operate it. Once listed
on Historic England’s ‘Buildings at Risk in London’ register,
the Granada has now been restored with care, reopening as
a modern, sustainable entertainment venue that celebrates
its remarkable past.
Between 1989 and 2000, the venue changed hands several
times before being bought by Mohan Sharma, who renamed
it the EMD Cinema. It closed in 2003, by which time it was
the last cinema in London to retain its original working
Christie organ.
Restoration and heritage
The focus was on restoring and preserving this unique
1930s building and its historical features, whilst allowing the
Above, interior of main theatre in 1965 © Vestry House Museum
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Above, interior of main theatre after the restoration,
photography by David Levene
Conservation & Heritage Journal
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