ABC Cinema

Cinema, constructed in 1929-30 as the Granada, for Sidney Bernstein. Architect: Cecil Masey (1881-1960) with the interiors by Theodore Komisarjevsky (1882-1954). Stone frontage, brick retaining walls to steel frame.

The building is a two-storey rendered facade in Spanish Baroque style, with a pantiled low-pitched roof to the eaves on the wings. The roof is not visible on the central foyer block, which is higher than the wings. The left wing is of four bays and the right is of one bay. The central block advances slightly, twice, with a tripartite window having engaged spiral columns surmounted by composite capitals and urns, and triple-arched and cusped Spanish baroque heads. There is a cantilevered canopy over the entrance. A coved cornice runs to the outer bays. Glazing bars of metal create square panes, except for elaborate Moderne glazing in the tops of the windows in the foyer block and lunettes in the windows in the wings. Late 20th century shop fronts occupy the ground floor, while arched paired windows with spiral columns are on the upper floor. The left return wall is also rendered and has exit doors and smaller windows for stairs. Under the right wing is a carriageway. To the right of the main entrance is an exit door from the public house on the first floor. Rear walls are in stock brick. Two steps lead up to the original entrance doors.

Inside, an outer lobby leads into a rich Ionic pilastered double-height foyer (there was previously a second set of doors separating the two spaces). Between the pilasters are six mirrors with arched heads and shaped aprons. A full entablature and fielded ceiling complete the space. At the end, central stairs descend to a lower foyer and the former stalls level, while flanking flights ascend first to a landing running the full width of the foyer and then up to a large transverse balcony foyer with a fielded segmental barrel ceiling. All stairs are in Travertine. The walls of the inner foyer are divided into bays by engaged half-columns and alternating bays containing arch-headed pier-glasses over console tables. Two Art Deco ventilation grills are in the ceiling. Eleven French-style chandeliers light the foyer areas. Original furniture comprises four upholstered wing chairs and three arm-chairs. Behind steps at each end are twin door-cases (doors removed) into lobbies from which the balcony is accessed by short flights to entrances in the sides of the auditorium.

The large and elaborate double-height auditorium is in the Moorish style. A superimposed proscenium with Moorish fretwork on the first three coves accommodates cove lighting. A dado runs forward from the proscenium. The ante-proscenium splay has Maqarnas or stalactite-work above highly ornamented grills. Side walls have larger Islamic arches incorporating more stalactite-work enclosing two smaller arches, areas of fluting and horseshoe arches over the balcony entrances. These have splayed voussoirs, ornamented tympana, cusping, fluting and are flanked by pilasters enlivened by low-relief Moorish decoration. The ceiling features interlacing mouldings with a star-burst centre. The sides of the rear balcony have been brought in and the ceiling rises into a cove figured with lattice decoration. Further quasi-Islamic decoration appears in the ventilation grills on the ceiling. The balcony front is serpentine. The area under the balcony is subdivided making two small auditoria, but the original coffered ceiling is still visible. The stage retains original tableau curtains and original suspended light fittings.

On the first floor above the entrance lobby and extending down the long wing on the front of the building is an area originally a cafe, now a public house. Steps leading to its former internal entrance can be seen in the left wall of the foyer. Vestiges of the original decoration survive in the cafe. A Christie organ also survives in playable condition. One console, with Saracen decoration, is mounted on a trolley and can be wheeled onto the stage. The other console, now disused and partly dismembered, is beneath the apron stage. The organ chambers are in the roof over the auditorium, positioned above and slightly forward of the proscenium.

This is an important example of the large and elaborate cinemas built by Sidney Bernstein between 1930 and 1939, generally in artisan districts where such escapist palaces of entertainment would be most popular. The exterior is largely original, while internally most of the 1930 appearance survives. It is one of very few cinemas, and buildings of any type, designed in the Moorish style in Britain. The organ, with its unique console, adds further interest. The ABC is the oldest surviving of the cinemas designed by Komisarjevsky in London.