Conservation & Heritage Issue 50 Winter 2025/Spring 2026 - Flipbook - Page 117
spaces to be sensitively adapted for modern theatre use and
making it accessible for all. The council was able to achieve
this in several different ways, working with a range of skilled
heritage specialists and craftspeople with advice and support
from Historic England.
consumption low and eco-friendly materials like reclaimed
wood and low volatile organic compound paints, these
contribute to fewer emissions than regular solvent-based
paints. The building is fitted with much needed efficiency
and sustainability measures for its age and size.
With some careful and creative design, the building has been
successfully upgraded with much-needed modernisation
measures for accessibility including:
Awards
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Waltham Forest Council’s restoration of the former Granada
Cinema into Soho Theatre Walthamstow has won three
awards at a prestigious industry awards ceremony The Building London Planning Awards.
New lift from the foyer that allows public access to all
parts of the building for the first time in its history
New handrails have been carefully designed to replicate
or complement existing historic handrails across the
building
Unnecessary stone steps have been removed with
subsequent repairs to the terrazzo floor beneath
The project won three awards including the Placemaking,
Heritage and Culture, the Best Borough-Led Project
categories, as well as the coveted Mayor of London’s Award
for Good Growth.
Some of the external restorations include:
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Cllr Ahsan Khan, Deputy Leader and cabinet member for
Housing and Regeneration, said:
Reinstating the curved gable end that was damaged in
the 1940s during World War II
Reintroducing the red Spanish pantiles on the roof
Retaining and restoring all the original windows to their
original vivid green and improving thermal performance
with new glazing
Repairing and repainting the external render
“
Arrested decay
The theatre interior has been restored using the arrested
decay approach, which is commonly used in the conservation
of historic buildings, especially theatres. It makes a virtue of
a building’s rich history by showing and celebrating different
layers of its decoration.
We are thrilled that Waltham Forest has been
recognised for the outstanding work we’ve achieved by
transforming the much-loved Grade II* listed former
Granada Cinema building. The revival of this iconic
venue embodies our vision for Waltham Forest as a
vibrant neighbourhood with culture on every corner.
In partnership with Soho Theatre Walthamstow, the
new operators, we are already seeing positive impacts
through community engagement, job creation and
support for the night-time economy.’’
Waltham Forest Council are short listed for two further
awards, due for announcement in November. These are:
Architect Journal Awards – Best culture project category
New London Architecture Awards – Best conservation and
heritage category.
With arrested decay there’s no aim to replicate a pristine
original and ignore everything that came after; it doesn’t try
to reverse any superficial deterioration. Instead, it freezes it
in time, so the building reveals its own rich history through
the layers of different exposed paints and textures.
The original decorative scheme used golds and greens with
tinted glazes to give the impression of mosaic tiles. Then in
the 1960s, earthy orange hues were overpainted to form the
background to performances by the Beatles and Ronettes.
Later in the 1990s, lush purples and mint greens were added.
Rather than try and recreate just one of these versions of
the building, with arrested decay we’re proudly celebrating its
entire history, with all the stories of the past intact.
Energy Efficiency
The Mayor of London’s Energy Efficiency Fund approved a
loan to the council, enabling the upgrade and design of the
venue into an energy efficient theatre, including measures to
offset emissions during construction. Improvements such as
energy-efficient heating, insulation, solar panels and modern
building management systems.
A grant from the Greater London Authority’s Carbon Offset
Fund also provided advanced lighting, heating, ventilation
and air conditioning systems, extra insulation to keep energy
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Above, Conservation, Culture and Capital team from
Waltham Forest Council, London
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