Key Words :- cinema

Address :- 468-476 Hoe Street, Walthamstow, London, Greater London, E17
Grid Ref :- TQ 37695 88202
Co-ordinates :- Lat 51.575873 , Long -0.014348
Local Authority :- Waltham Forest London Borough Council
Pre 1974 County :- Greater London Council
Site Status :- Listed - Grade II
Historic England List No :- 1245459,
Site Dates :- 1913 -

Description and History of Site:-
Seating capacity: 830
Opened September 1913 as the Scala
Became the Plaza 1931, closed 2 July 1931, reopened 26 December 1933
Became the Cameo 26 January 1961
Closed 26 January 1963 with House of Frankenstein and House of Dracula
Became a bingo club

The Scala Cinema was built in 1913 for the Good Brothers, local builders and contractors who had a small chain of four cinemas in the locality. It became the Cameo in 1961 but closed in 1963 to become a bingo hall. Later it showed uncensored sex films until it finally closed in 1981 to become an amusement arcade. It is currently being used as a church.

The building is in brick with a rendered facade with some stone dressings. There is a low foyer with a double height auditorium. The main facade features a raised parapet on four Ionic columns behind which is the projection room. The interior featured much elaborate plasterwork much of which was destroyed in a fire which spread from a nearby building.
Now Kingsway International Christian Centre.

Further Reading and References:-
Webb, Malcolm. 'The Amber Valley Gazetteer of Greater London's Suburban Cinemas 1946-86'. Amber Valley, 1986

https://cinematreasures.org/theaters/21040

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Contributor :- GLIAS Database - 2 June 2018
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