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New Cinema for Lordship lane?

Eoghan

By Eoghan
in General ED Issues / Gossip

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nxjen

nxjen

Posted
Posted

Otta Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Wasn't that building a cinema once upon a time?

> It's been bingo hall, dance hall and theatre, but

> not sure about cinema.


The oldest incarnation I remember is when it was a bingo hall but the architecture is certainly in the style of a 1930s cinema. Google is our friend http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/2428 Would be interested to learn the source of the building reverting to a cinema.

malcolmchurch

malcolmchurch

Posted
Posted

Louisa

Wetherspoon have not made an official announcement yet and so their customer care people have no knowledge of what is happening ...a similar thing happened when The Ship of Fools at West Croydon closed. The Capitol staff were told over the weekend but were asked to keep it quiet and, of course, they didn't.

So Wetherspoons have definitely sold the lease and are closing the pub. The staff believe that it will become a cinema but that is not so certain as there are several things to be done. It is a listed building so can't be used for property development. Planning permission/change of use also need to be finalised but a cinema should be a formality.

However, as with any property change, things may still go wrong.

It was definitely a cinema in the past, 60 years ago my girl-friend remembered going there at the age of 9, buying a ticket and then opening a back-door ticket to admit all of her friends.

From the Wetherspoon website :-


The Capitol opened its doors to the cinema-going public in 1929. Later renamed and converted into a bingo hall, the building now bears its original name.

A rare survival of a 1920s cinema, The Capitol, on London Road, first opened its doors to the cinema-going public in 1929, with a screening of Man, Woman and Sin. Renamed the ABC in 1968, the cinema gave its last picture show in October 1973. There were plans to convert and even demolish the building. However, The Capitol opened as a bingo hall in February 1978, closing in the first week of December 1996. It is now this Wetherspoon pub.


Jimbo1964, definitely not wishful thinking on my part. As an OAP with limited funds I love Wetherspoon pubs as I can't afford to pay ?4 plus for a pint for those ghastly gastropubs in Lordship Lane. So I would much prefer the status quo.


Oh well, I still have the Fox on the hill, Brockley Barge and The Moon and Stars in Penge, but none of those of those is as convenient as The Capitol.


James, no knowledge of who the new lease holder is, the staff were told it would be a 3 screen cinema but that could be difficult without considerable changes to a listed building.

jimbo1964

jimbo1964

Posted
Posted
Hi Malcolm. Well I hope you are right about it converting back to a cinema. I went to see lots of films there when I was little. Battle of Britain, Planet of the Apes, When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth and Bambi to name just a few. If I think of anywhere that does a good cheap pint I'll let you know.
Otta

Otta

Posted
Posted

The Capitol always seems to have a fair flow of people when I pass it. Surprised to ear it may close, if indeed that's the case. Personally I've never liked it as a Wetherspoons, not because I have anything against Wetherspoons (far from it), I just don't like that huge space for a pub.


I'm sure I've been told that the buidling was used as a dance hall, probably 40s/50s, but not sure.

Otta

Otta

Posted
Posted

Just read nxjen's link.


"It originally had a Compton 2Manual/8Ranks theatre organ which was opened by Edgar Peto. There was also a cafe for the convenience of patrons. The stage was 22 feet deep and with three dressing rooms it allowed for variety shows to be staged.


It was taken over by Associated British Cinemas(ABC) from July 1933 and they operated it for the remainder of its cinematic life.


Occasional variety shows were part of the programming in the 1950?s and the Compton organ was played until it was removed in the late-1950?s."



I guess the "varierty shows" were what was being referred to by whoever told me it had been a dance hall, it would have been music hall theatre. I find all that music hall stuff quite fasinating, must have been good fun with rowdy crowds and naughty songs.

Bic Basher

Bic Basher

Posted
Posted

If Wetherspoons does close and replaced with another Picturehouse Cinema, this is a positive move in FH's move towards bringing the town centre more upmarket.


It should also make waiting for a bus outside there a lot less intimidating on Fri/Sat late nights.

LondonMix

LondonMix

Posted
Posted

They are also looking to open one in Norwood I heard a while back. It might be that they were keeping as many options open as possible to see which of the possible sites in the vicinity would become viable most quickly.


I think a cinema in Norwood would be great but one on London Road, just 5 minutes from Lordship Lane seems very close. Perhpas, they will show different films and complement each other. Sort of like having a 6 screen cinema spread across 2 buildings.

Bic Basher

Bic Basher

Posted
Posted

LondonMix Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------


> I think a cinema in Norwood would be great but one

> on London Road, just 5 minutes from Lordship Lane

> seems very close. Perhpas, they will show

> different films and complement each other. Sort

> of like having a 6 screen cinema spread across 2

> buildings.


Agreed, I can see the FH Picturehouse being a sister cinema for the ED one showing other movies and possibly the more mainstream fare. It could also come in handy if one of the ED screens isn't working and customers could be asked to travel to Forest Hill instead.

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