The Capitol (formerly Capitol Cinema)

The Capitol, formerly known as the Capitol Cinema, is a Grade II listed building located on London Road in Forest Hill. Built between 1928 and 1929 by J. Stanley Beard, a prominent cinema architect and garden designer, it showcases an Art Deco Egyptian style. Originally designed for silent films, sound equipment was added behind the screen in 1929. The cinema was intended to seat 1,700 patrons and featured a Compton organ.

The structure is made of brick with a white tiled facade adorned with blue and yellow faience decorations, and the roof is concealed by a parapet. It consists of two storeys and attics, with seven windows. The centre is recessed and has five round-headed windows on the first floor, which are divided by pilasters and feature stained glass; behind these windows was the tearoom. Above, there is a massive cornice, followed by five tripartite windows in the attic and a pediment decorated with acroteria and decorative bands. On either side, full-height rusticated piers with brackets and torch decorations project from the facade. The end staircase bays have round-headed windows with stained glass on the first floor. A late 20th-century fascia and five double doors complete the entrance.

Inside, the building retains a columned tearoom and a complete auditorium, which includes the original proscenium featuring gilded relief figures in the pediment and engaged columns on each side. The ribbed plastered ceiling is complemented by side pilasters and brackets, along with a moulded balcony front. This building is a rare example of a complete 1920s cinema and is noted as the earliest complete cinema by Beard still in existence.