Essoldo Paddington

The Grand Cinema Theatre opened around 1912, and is listed in the Bioscope Annual 1914 with a seating capacity of 1,260. It was located in the Westbourne Park district of Paddington in west inner-city London. By 1934 it was known as the Grand Cinema with a seating capacity of 1,200.

During World War II the auditorium was destroyed by German bombs and the ruins remained until 1955/56 when plans were drawn up by architect Richard Seifert. It was rebuilt (the original facade was retained) and it re-opened as the Savoy Cinema on 1st January 1957.

Previously an independent cinema, it was taken over by the Essoldo Circuit in 1957 and re-named Essoldo in January 1961. The Essoldo Cinema closed on 14th May 1966 with Charlton Heston in “Major Dundee” and Ronald Reagan in “Hellcats of the Navy”.

It became an Essoldo Bingo Club which closed in the early-1980’s. It briefly re-opened as music venue/nightclub named Zig-Zag and then the building then lay empty and derelict until 1994 when it was demolished and housing was built on the site.

Get Movie Tickets & Showtimes

Recent comments (view all 2 comments)

Want to be emailed when a new comment is posted about this theater?
Just login to your account and subscribe to this theater.