King's Cinema

Located in the east London district of Forest Gate. Designed by architects J. Baker & Co., the Forest Gate Public Hall opened on 1st November 1902. The building was set back from Woodgrange Road and had its own wide entrance road. Seating was provided in stalls and balcony levels, and there were stage facilities. Another facility was the provision of a ballroom.

By 1907, it had become the Grand Theatre and was re-decorated in March 1908 and re-opened as the People’s Picture Palace. By 1910 it was still screening films, but had been re-named Public Hall. Closed in January 1920, it re-opened in May 1920 as the Grand Cinema. By 1932, it was operated by London & Provincial Cinemas Ltd. but had closed in December 1932, remaining closed until January 1935. It was closed again from October 1935 until January 1937, when it re-opened as the King’s Cinema. The King’s Cinema closed around 1940.

The building then went through several uses, as a roller skating rink, a clothing factory. In December 1966 it became a nightclub named the Upper Cut Club, which opened with The Who appearing and went on to attract many top names to appear on its stage, including Jimmi Hendrix, Stevie Wonder, Ben E. King, Nina Simone, The Kinks, The Small Faces, The Tremeloes and Georgie Fame to name just a few. After the nightclub closed in December 1967 it became an electrical store until 2000. The building then stayed empty and derelict for several years and was demolished in around 2005. An air shaft the the Eurostar Channel Tunnel Railway extension to St. Pancras was built on the site.

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