This fine Art Deco building is the Deptford Odeon cinema, designed by George Coles in 1938 and sadly demolished in the 1980s. I believe it was on the corner of Deptford Broadway and Church Street. The photo is by Seadipper at Flickr.It is amazing that buildings like this can be allowed to just disappear, so it is heartening to hear that progress has been made in the campaign to have the Rivoli Ballroom in Brockley listed by English Heritage. According to comments at Brockley Central, English Heritage may already have listed the ballroom, if not an application has certainly been submitted by people anxious to prevent its redevelopment.
If you are a facebook user, check out the Save the Rivoli group.
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18 comments:
Thanks for finding this photo and uploading it. I have described its beautiful deco facade to my wife many times, but only on seeing this picture does she realize what I meant.
Any memories of the place Nigel? Where exactly was it - I am guessing where the college building now stands on corner of Church St and Broadway.
Lovely pic. You can see another one here which shows it in use
http://mawgrim.sathosting.net/cavalcade/deptford1.jpg
I think it was on the opposite corner to the college, the building that is visible on this photo, to the left of the cinema, looks very similar to the buildings that are still there.
There's a description in a walk by London Footprints here http://www.london-footprints.co.uk/wkdeptford.htm
but it's a bit ambiguous.
Yes, others have confirmed it was on the opposite corner from the current college building
This photo brings back some memories. I used to go to Saturday morning pictures there with my brother and sister during the 1950's and 60's. It would cost 6d to get in but We used to get in free, because my Nan worked there. As well as films such as The Three Stooges and the Little Rascals, we would watch a cartoon a serial, and last of all the main film which always got a lot of booing and cheering. Sometimes there would be competitions - the best one was a yo-yo competition with the prize of a 'Lumar 99' for the person who could could do the best tricks.
Thanks for that - what was a Lumar 99?
A Lumar 99 was a top of the range
yo-yo!
Fastedy
I was born on Harton Street right opposite the Odeon.It was damaged during the war and was repaired and reopened in the early 1950s
Petula Clark was the guest of honour I remember.
Yes, it stood on Deptford Broadway and Church Street.
Hi all, I grew up in Albury Street deptford and use to go to the Oden on Saturday mornings.."we come along" etc. I seem to remember there was a cinema there, not sure whether it was the odeon but there was a great big Golden eagle on the top. Was it here??
Grt Grt gandparents lived at 29 herton Road..William White wife Mary.
Thanks good pic.
Sorry for typos Harton Street
andy
I saw 2001 Space Odessy here with my brother when we were kids. I still cannot understand to this day why such a spectacular building was not looked after.
I saw a few films here: You Only Live twice, Planet of the Apes, and many others. Also Saturday morning pictures. I remember the yo-yo competitions of the early '60s. As has been said, pity it was allowed to fall into decay.
in 1983, the corrigated iron boarding up the front was loose for weeks, me and 2 friends went inside, it was in a terrible state, the once beautiful plaster ceilings and walls were covered in pidgeon muck, everything was trashed and damp. we managed to climb up the steel ladder that went right up the front tower inside to the loft.
I went to Addey & Stanhope school, just down the raod, in 1982. The corrugated iron had an opening which the tramps from Carrington house use to to use to gain access to the building. Me and my friends used to go there regularly on our lunch break. I remember a very wide staircase would take you all the way up to the projectionist booth. My Mum took me here as a kid in the early 70's to watch a Disney movie. Can't remember which one it was though. Such a beautiful building, such a shame it was destroyed.
Remember Saturday morning pictures with my brothers and cousins, great memories. So sad it's been demolished.
Cathy Gregson
I used to go to a different cinema almost opposite the top of the High Street for Saturday morning pictures. There was another cinema which we called the 'Bug Hutch' a little way up from the bottom of the High Street. One of my brothers would buy a ticket and then let us in for free via a fire exit.
Including the cinema close to the Marquis that makes 4 within a radius of about 750 yards.
TomW
I used to go to a different cinema almost opposite the top of the High Street for Saturday morning pictures. There was another cinema which we called the 'Bug Hutch' a little way up from the bottom of the High Street. One of my brothers would buy a ticket and then let us in for free via a fire exit.
Including the cinema close to the Marquis that makes 4 within a radius of about 750 yards.
TomW
Went to the odeon in 1970 when I was seven years old .to see twenty thousand leagues under the sea
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