ABC cinema Harrow Middlesex opened in 1936 2500 seater External facade buggered up by a metal working lunatic architect in the 1980s. Now the need for homes is about to turn this back into its original facade Now stripped back to its original skin In the flesh it looks like a set from a1930 futuristic film and like a trip back in time.The Crittall windows are gigantic and a beauty to behold Harrow’s Dominion revealed – after 59 years! – unrestricted theatre
Wow, that is remarkable. Safari Cinema in Harrow, GB - Cinema Treasures Harrow: Art Deco cinema facade to be revealed for first time in 50 years? | OzSeeker It was hidden behind blue steel cladding in 1962 because it was deemed too expensive to maintain.
One article says that the first floor theater will be retained and another says they are building an 11 story building on the site. Anyone know if the whole exterior of the building will be saved? Hope so. I bet a lot of servicemen went there during the war.
Hello Dave the outside will be saved it is a listed building in the UK which protects it from demolition Planning application below Redevelopment to provide part 11/part 5 storey building with basement level comprising of 78 residential units; cinema (Use class D2) to ground floor and ancillary cafe to first and second floors; parking; landscaping; bin and cycle stores https://www2.harrow.gov.uk/documents/s161721/1-04 - Safari Cinema Station Road - P-3043-19.pdf
Another one just down the road but not as grand outside called the Granada Granada Harrow Wurlitzer The cinema, designed by J. Owen Bond & Son with interior by Theodore Komisarjevski, opened on 25th October 1937 with a seating capacity of 1900. The original organ was a Granada designed 3 manual 8 rank Wurlitzer Theatre Organ. It is technically still playable. The cinema was tripled in 1973, two small screens being added in the rear stalls area under the circle. The cinema was for many years the home of our 'Young Theatre Organist of the Year' competitions, but it closed in November 1996. At the time of the sale of the building, Granada's Head Office management wished to donate the organ to our Chapter in return for all the work Les Rawle and the technical team had undertaken on it over many years. However since the building was 'listed' our understanding was that the organ had to remain 'in situ' and we refrained from risking any attempt to remove it. For many years the building was abandoned; it suffered water damage and the organ chambers became home for a large number of pigeons. The area was declared hazardous and the chambers were securely double locked until the new owners finally understood their obligation to ensure the organ needed to be made safe. Granada Harrow Wurlitzer http://stories-of-london.org/granada-theatre-harrow/
Well I never knew that the ABC was hiding such a secret. Those two cinemas bring back great memories for me: Jaws, Rocky 2, Grease, Star Wars, Friday the 13th and Kramer vs Kramer for some reason!!
It's a shame they'll probably not restore the orginal interior. On holiday several years ago we discovered the joy of the Regent Cinema, Lyme Regis - not a particularly inspiring exterior but the inside was a joy. Alas it burnt down in 2016, a few months after we visited (coincidence, honest!). Plans are still afoot for a rebuild....
There used to be a double fronted Pet Shop a few doors down from the cinema, sort of opposite the tube station. More memories Clive, this time Saturday Morning Pictures. Not in the Pet Shop!
Memories for me here too. Saw Rollercoaster and Grease at the Embassy Ruislip. And a double bill of Star Wars and Empire Strikes Back at Rayner's Lane cinema. My paternal grandmother was a Rayner and it's family legend that she was related to the two brothers who owned Rayner's farm.