For the first time ever, Soho Theatre located in the heart of Walthamstow, will be opening its doors to the public. It will be the first time since 1973 that live performances will be held once again on the site.
The new theatre will offer various forms of entertainment and hold frequent events and activities.
Many newer residents or younger people may not be aware of the immense amount of history this location has held for generations.
Prior to the construction of the newly restored building, in its place was the former Victoria Music Hall which was opened in 1887.
In later years, 1907, this building was formed into the first cinema in Walthamstow.
Following this, in years 1929-30 the building known as the Victoria Music Hall was demolished and in its place another cinema named the Walthamstow Granada was built and is the same structure that is currently being renovated.
The building introduced a combination of both Art Deco and Spanish Baroque architecture to the cinema in comparison to its Victorian roots.
Inside, the interior was chic and combined both modern and vintage decorations.
30 years later after the Granada opening, the 60s brought many huge names both American and British to perform their concerts due to the large seating capacity and its popularity at the time.
The list of artists that performed here were none other than The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, James Brown, Roy Orbinson, The Ronettes and many more.
On some occasions upcoming artists were also granted the opportunity to perform to large crowds.
In the 80s and 90s the Granada became strictly a cinema only and during this time the popularity of the venue reached new heights as these two decades were responsible for some of the bestselling films.
Despite the past success of the cinema, it unfortunately was closed in 2003.
This led to outrage in the local community and even led to protests for it to be re-opened throughout the 2000s, however the attempts were futile, and the cinema remained closed for many years to come.
During its most hectic eras as a cinema, Walthamstow bred resident Marie reminisces on her time spent there: “Every Saturday night you would see a queue that went all the way down Hoe Street just to see the latest film, the cinema had a luxurious atmosphere with red carpets and golden designs. The Granada was at one point the only cinema in the borough and local hotspot which meant it was bound to get packed quickly.”
The opening of the Soho Theatre next year will undoubtedly be a commemorated event in Walthamstow especially to those who spent most of their youth surrounded by the entertainment it provided.
