Gala Cinema
112 Brent Street,
London,
NW4 2DT
112 Brent Street,
London,
NW4 2DT
2 people
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Additional Info
Previously operated by: Classic Cinemas (UK), Gala Film Distributors Ltd.
Styles: Art Deco
Previous Names: Hendon Cinema, Troc Cinema, Carlton Cinema, Classic, New Classic, Gala Classic
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Located on Brent Street on the corner of Bell Lane (earlier Belle Vue Road), in the north London district of Hendon. The Hendon Cinema was opened in 1921. By 1927 it was operated by Hendon Estate Ltd. By 1931 it had been equipped with a Western Electric(WE) sound system and was operating as the Troc Cinema by Sado & Co. Ltd. By 1933 it had been renamed Carlton Cinema operated by Hendon Theatres (1932) Ltd. It presented occasional variety shows. Around this time it was given an Art Deco style makeover.
In 1938 it was re-named Classic Cinema and was operated by the Original Repertory Cinemas Ltd, Baker Street who were soon to become the Classic Cinema chain. From 11th May 1952 it had become the New Classic Cinema (probably after some modifications) and by 1954 it was operated by Gala Film Distributors Ltd. They re-named it Gala Classic from 5th February 1961 and finally Gala Cinema from 1965.
It played continental films and closed on 18th March 1967 with a double bill of the exploitation documentaries “Mondo Cane” and “Mondo Cane 2”. The building was converted into a photography studio, and later a bank. It was demolished and an expanded site re-developed as Sentinel Square Shopping Centre. By 2019 a Ladbrokes bookmakers operates on the corner site when the cinema was located.
Contributed by
Ken Roe
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Recent comments (view all 3 comments)
I recall seeing East of Eden there. NB your map is wrong – again! Classic cinemas used to specialise in old or art films for a more discriminating (I guess) audience.
Map & street view corrected.
This cinema had an attractive “cash register” auditorium with cove lighting running down the centre. All seats were on one level. It should have been preserved. You had to buy ice creams and sweets in the foyer. The closure was as a result of Classic Cinemas buying the former and much larger, Gaumont Cinema in Hendon Central. The tragedy was that the Gaumont was never full. One Friday I counted three people in the house for a musical. Smaller cinemas like The Gala Classic would have had lower overheads and been more profitable than the thousand-seater + houses that distributors liked.