New Cinema for Lordship lane?

[VicCraven]

It is truly amazing that this is happening.

An we must congratulate James Barber and his team for working so hard over the last few years to help make this happen.

See you all at the first screening!

Vic :)

[malcolmchurch]

I thought you might be interested to know that The Capitol pub (Wetherspoons) in Forest Hill will close as a pub in the next 3-6 weeks and re-open as a cinema.

[VicCraven]

That's exciting news as well. Do you know which company is turning the pub into a cinema?

[Jeremy]

That's interesting, Malcolm. Lots of good things happening in Forest Hill these days..

[jimbo1964]

That's great news about FH. Looking forward to that being open again.

[James Barber]

What great news.

I wonder what the configuration will be?

Do we know when it will reopen as a cinema and who will run it?

[Louisa]

I've spoken to a representative at Wetherspoons customer care team and they informed me there were no plans for this public house to be closed now or at any time in the future. Where did you get your information from malcolmchurch?

Louisa.

[Jeremy]

Louisa - maybe the same person who told you that Space NK (whatever the hell that is) is opening in ED!

[Otta]

Wasn't that building a cinema once upon a time? It's been bingo hall, dance hall and theatre, but not sure about cinema.

[Louisa]

Jeremy don't pretend you don't know who Space NK are haha. Give it a year and they'll be here, a ripe candidate will be the old ED Deli.

Louisa.

[nxjen]

Otta Wrote:

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> Wasn't that building a cinema once upon a time?

> It's been bingo hall, dance hall and theatre, but

> not sure about cinema.

The oldest incarnation I remember is when it was a bingo hall but the architecture is certainly in the style of a 1930s cinema. Google is our friend http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/2428 Would be interested to learn the source of the building reverting to a cinema.

[Louisa]

Otta I remember The Capitol as being the old ABC cinema- Saturday morning pictures. Closed in the early 70s.

Louisa.

[jimbo1964]

Considering how much bruhaha there's been about the EDPH opening it seems unlikely that Forest Hill is suddenly going to get a cinema. Shame.. but sounds like wishful thinking.

[malcolmchurch]

Louisa

Wetherspoon have not made an official announcement yet and so their customer care people have no knowledge of what is happening ...a similar thing happened when The Ship of Fools at West Croydon closed. The Capitol staff were told over the weekend but were asked to keep it quiet and, of course, they didn't.

So Wetherspoons have definitely sold the lease and are closing the pub. The staff believe that it will become a cinema but that is not so certain as there are several things to be done. It is a listed building so can't be used for property development. Planning permission/change of use also need to be finalised but a cinema should be a formality.

However, as with any property change, things may still go wrong.

It was definitely a cinema in the past, 60 years ago my girl-friend remembered going there at the age of 9, buying a ticket and then opening a back-door ticket to admit all of her friends.

From the Wetherspoon website :-

The Capitol opened its doors to the cinema-going public in 1929. Later renamed and converted into a bingo hall, the building now bears its original name.

A rare survival of a 1920s cinema, The Capitol, on London Road, first opened its doors to the cinema-going public in 1929, with a screening of Man, Woman and Sin. Renamed the ABC in 1968, the cinema gave its last picture show in October 1973. There were plans to convert and even demolish the building. However, The Capitol opened as a bingo hall in February 1978, closing in the first week of December 1996. It is now this Wetherspoon pub.

Jimbo1964, definitely not wishful thinking on my part. As an OAP with limited funds I love Wetherspoon pubs as I can't afford to pay ?4 plus for a pint for those ghastly gastropubs in Lordship Lane. So I would much prefer the status quo.

Oh well, I still have the Fox on the hill, Brockley Barge and The Moon and Stars in Penge, but none of those of those is as convenient as The Capitol.

James, no knowledge of who the new lease holder is, the staff were told it would be a 3 screen cinema but that could be difficult without considerable changes to a listed building.

[jimbo1964]

Hi Malcolm. Well I hope you are right about it converting back to a cinema. I went to see lots of films there when I was little. Battle of Britain, Planet of the Apes, When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth and Bambi to name just a few. If I think of anywhere that does a good cheap pint I'll let you know.

[Otta]

The Capitol always seems to have a fair flow of people when I pass it. Surprised to ear it may close, if indeed that's the case. Personally I've never liked it as a Wetherspoons, not because I have anything against Wetherspoons (far from it), I just don't like that huge space for a pub.

I'm sure I've been told that the buidling was used as a dance hall, probably 40s/50s, but not sure.

[Otta]

Just read nxjen's link.

"It originally had a Compton 2Manual/8Ranks theatre organ which was opened by Edgar Peto. There was also a cafe for the convenience of patrons. The stage was 22 feet deep and with three dressing rooms it allowed for variety shows to be staged.

It was taken over by Associated British Cinemas(ABC) from July 1933 and they operated it for the remainder of its cinematic life.

Occasional variety shows were part of the programming in the 1950?s and the Compton organ was played until it was removed in the late-1950?s."

I guess the "varierty shows" were what was being referred to by whoever told me it had been a dance hall, it would have been music hall theatre. I find all that music hall stuff quite fasinating, must have been good fun with rowdy crowds and naughty songs.

[Sugar Mountain]

Heard today Weatherspoons will be closing in a few weeks, and possibly Picture House opening in Forest Hill. Great news if thats the case.

[Louisa]

Wow a Picture House less than a mile from the other new one! They're really expanding!

Louisa.

[Bic Basher]

If Wetherspoons does close and replaced with another Picturehouse Cinema, this is a positive move in FH's move towards bringing the town centre more upmarket.

It should also make waiting for a bus outside there a lot less intimidating on Fri/Sat late nights.

[LondonMix]

They are also looking to open one in Norwood I heard a while back. It might be that they were keeping as many options open as possible to see which of the possible sites in the vicinity would become viable most quickly.

I think a cinema in Norwood would be great but one on London Road, just 5 minutes from Lordship Lane seems very close. Perhpas, they will show different films and complement each other. Sort of like having a 6 screen cinema spread across 2 buildings.

[Jeremy]

Are we 100% sure it's a picturehouse?

Clapham and Brixton are similarly close so it's not out of the question, but they are both larger "towns" which already attract visitors from other areas.

[Bic Basher]

LondonMix Wrote:

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> I think a cinema in Norwood would be great but one

> on London Road, just 5 minutes from Lordship Lane

> seems very close. Perhpas, they will show

> different films and complement each other. Sort

> of like having a 6 screen cinema spread across 2

> buildings.

Agreed, I can see the FH Picturehouse being a sister cinema for the ED one showing other movies and possibly the more mainstream fare. It could also come in handy if one of the ED screens isn't working and customers could be asked to travel to Forest Hill instead.

[PandG]

Well the builders have started and the film is scheduled for 3.30 pm !

[BrandNewGuy]

Hmmm, this Forest Hill cinema thing is beginning to smell a bit rat-like. Couple of "my mate says..." posts on local forums and that's it.