A Grade II listed building which housed a famous cinema is set to reopen as a theatre in a week. Walthamstow Granada is a Grade II* listed building housing a pub, cinema and cultural centre in Walthamstow.
The building is famous for having been frequented by Alfred Hitchcock during its time as a cinema. It was built on a site where films were shown as early as 1896!
The cinema closed in 2003 and was purchased by Universal Church of the Kingdom of God (UCKG) with the intention of converting the building into a church, before being purchased by Waltham Forest Council in 2019. However, it is now set to reopen next week as the Soho Theatre.
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Soho Theatre says: "The new Soho Theatre Walthamstow will open its doors in May 2025 with a vibrant and eclectic first programme of work. It will be bringing the best of Soho Theatre’s acclaimed programme to a bigger audience."
London Borough of Waltham Forest said on Facebook yesterday (April 25): "Only one week to go before the former Granada Cinema building reopens to the public, as a newly restored, live performance venue, managed by Soho Theatre Walthamstow. A local theatre with a national profile.
"Restoring the Grade II* listed building has been one of the most fulfilling council-led projects in the borough for many years. Given its high heritage significance, the focus was to restore and preserve this unique 1930s building and its historical features, whilst allowing the spaces to be sensitively adapted for modern theatre use and making it accessible for all.
"Join other local residents for an exclusive sneak peek of the building tis Saturday 26 April. The Soho Theatre Walthamstow team will be testing everything from bar service to audience flow, what a great opportunity to experience the venue before anyone else and to enjoy a live show too!"
