History of the former Granada Cinema building

The Grade II* listed building was built in 1930 as a 2,697-seat cinema, The Granada, during the height of the cinema boom of the 1930s.

There have been films shown on the site as early as 1896 and the current building was known for being frequented by Alfred Hitchcock. It was often used as a concert venue, hosting the biggest names of the day such as The Beatles, Dusty Springfield, The Who, The Duke Ellington Band, The Rolling Stones, The Kinks, John Coltrane, Little Richard, Gene Vincent, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Buddy Holly.

Between 1989 and 2000, the venue changed ownership several times before being sold to textile business owner Mohan Sharma, who named it the EMD Cinema supposedly from the initials of his three daughters.

In 2003, ownership of the former Granada changed hands and the venue (then operating as the EMD) closed its doors to the public. At the time of its closure, it was the only cinema to have an original, working Christie organ still in place where it was originally installed. 

While the new owners sought permission to convert it into a church, local residents, businesses, and politicians campaigned hard to preserve its heritage and continued use for what it was famous for – entertainment. Local groups such as the McGuffin Film Society and Save Walthamstow Cinema led a passionate and popular campaign with more than 1,000 people attending the planning meetings and nearly every local business lending their support.

The council engaged consultants to help identify options for the building, a glorious venue but built for a former age. The Waltham Forest Cinema Trust was founded in 2010 and working with Soho Theatre came forward with an inspiring new vision respecting the building’s heritage and reinventing its future.

In 2012, the council, Waltham Forest Cinema Trust, Soho Theatre and local campaigners won the decisive public inquiry which agreed that the former Granada Cinema should have a future as an entertainment venue.

In 2014, the building was sold and a small part of it reopened as Mirth, Marvel and Maud, once again allowing people to enjoy the incredible interiors and atmosphere of the foyer. At the same time, the council and Soho Theatre worked on its longevity. Architects, heritage consultants and funders were consulted on how the theatre could reopen and have the sustainable future it deserved.

In 2018, the council announced funding for the purchase and an agreement with Soho Theatre to operate it. At the time of purchase, the building was in a derelict and decaying state and on Historic England’s Register of ‘Buildings at Risk in London’. Restoration work is now underway with the building’s best interests at heart and plans to see it return as a modern, sustainable, and exciting entertainment venue that honours its rich history.

It’s been a long journey, but the future of the iconic venue is finally looking even brighter than its illustrious past. It will be the standout legacy project from the 2019 London Borough of Culture and it will become the finest venue for comedy in the UK and a whole lot more.