Early Cinema Years, 1934-1966 The Embassy Cinema was opened on 17 May 1934 by the Mayor of
Ilford, Alderman B.S.J Pitt. It featured 1,812 seats: 1,232 in the stalls and 580 in the circle. A number of local newspapers cited it as "the last word in splendour and comfort". Construction began in mid-December 1933, and the majority of it lasted for only twenty-two weeks. It was designed and part-owned by the architect Harry Weston, and was the second of eight cinemas that he is known to have designed. He had previously designed the Plaza Cinema in Worthing (1933) and went on to design another six cinemas during the 1930s, mostly for the
Gaumont British Picture Corporation. It was known as a 'Super Cinema' as it also incorporated theatre, staging live variety shows and orchestral/organ performances. The programme was continued with a
Mickey Mouse Disney cartoon, 'Fury of the Jungle' featuring
Donald Cook and
Peggy Shannon, and
Constance Cummings in
Broadway Through a Keyhole. Five months after the Embassy Cinema opened, it was taken over by Provincial Cinematograph Theatres (PCT) as part of the Gaumont chain, and operated as the 'Gaumont Palace Theatre' from October 1934. The auditorium was completely redecorated, and the foyer was transformed into a buffet. The projectors and Compton organ were sold, and the large screen was removed. It was to be open for seven days a week with two matinees on Mondays and Thursdays. The Bingo hall was the fifty-second ever Rank club, but the first Rank hall in the area – the premises was re-named as 'The Top Rank Club'. The opening night was hosted by
Tommy Trinder (CBE). Top Rank's area manager stated: "We decided to go over to bingo in June, because there are already plenty of cinemas – in Whalebone Lane and Romford – but very few bingo halls in this part of London." and a lease was granted to Wazid Hassan (Shelim) to create a venue for weddings and other functions. The refurbishment process lasted for nine months, and the building re-opened as the current Mayfair Venue in December 2015. Redbridge Council repeatedly refused planning permission for the building to be used as a venue for hire, banqueting suite, wedding hall or conference centre. Three change of use planning applications were refused in 2017, 2019 and 2020. In June 2018, Redbridge Council issued an enforcement notice to the owners to "cease the unauthorised use of the premises as a banqueting hall/venue for hire" as it was "considered to be having a negative impact on the amenity of the surrounding residences as a result of noise, disturbance, anti-social behaviour and parking issues". The local authority stated that the owners failed to demonstrate how the Mayfair Venue satisfies "a local need". The owners of the Mayfair Venue appealed this notice to the
Planning Inspectorate, but inspectors concluded that the use of the premises as a venue available for hire is a breach of planning regulations and the enforcement notice was upheld. The owners were ordered to stop using the building as a banqueting suite by 15 January 2020 or face prosecution.
Restoration Project On 8 August 2017, the Chadwell Heath South Residents' Association successfully listed the Embassy Cinema as an Asset of Community Value. The community group then launched a restoration project In August 2018, the Chadwell Heath South Residents' Association were awarded a grant, for the sum of £14,940 by the
Power to Change Trust and the
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, to fund a feasibility study for the restoration project. The study consisted of architectural feasibility, business viability and market research. It was published in May 2019, yielding successful results. ==Architecture==