The Coronet

The Coronet was a historic entertainment venue at 28 New Kent Road in Elephant and Castle, south London. Across its long operating life, the building functioned as a theatre, cinema, live-music venue and nightclub. Its history stretched from the late Victorian period to its final closure in 2018, while the building itself remained notable for retaining important Art Deco features until demolition began in 2021. The site was initially occupied by the Theatre Royal, which opened in 1872 but was destroyed by fire six years later. Following the fire, renovation work was initiated by Jethro Thomas Robinson and completed by architect Frank Matcham. The rebuilt venue opened in 1879 as the Elephant and Castle Theatre. Among the performers associated with its theatrical period was a very young Charlie Chaplin, although the venue later moved decisively into film exhibition. In 1928, the building was converted into an ABC cinema. The cinema was designed by Matcham & Co. under F. G. M. Chancellor and had capacity for approximately 3,100 people. Its equipment and auditorium reflected the scale of the period, including a revolving steam-driven organ. The building survived the Blitz during the Second World War and was used as an air-raid shelter. In 1956, a screening of Blackboard Jungle was followed by disturbances involving Teddy Boy members of the audience. Similar disturbances occurred at screenings of the film elsewhere in the United Kingdom, making the venue part of a wider episode in British cinema and youth-culture history. The cinema was later altered as the industry adopted multiplex-style operation. In 1966, the Elephant and Castle Cinema was divided into three screens, and a luxury lounge was added. The first film shown after the conversion was Bonnie and Clyde. Further naming changes followed, and the venue became known as the Coronet Cinema in 1981. The cinema closed in 1999, leaving the Elephant and Castle area without a cinema. In 2002, theatre producer and entrepreneur Dominic Madden acquired the derelict building. A reported refurbishment costing about £3 million restored the property toward its original Art Deco character. The cinema subdivision was removed, the upper-gallery arrangement was reinstated, and the raked floor was taken out. The restored venue reopened in April 2003 as a multimedia nightclub. The initial nightclub operator, Heaven, was replaced in June 2003 by a management team led by Simon Parkes, founder of the Brixton Academy, who became managing director. After its relaunch, The Coronet developed a broad live-entertainment profile. It hosted concerts, club nights and parties, with performers associated with its programme including Justin Timberlake, Wolfmother, Blur, Oasis, Primal Scream, The Libertines, Macy Gray, LCD Soundsystem, Hot Chip, Grinderman, The Decemberists, Hundred Reasons, Kelis, Alicia Keys, Caribou, Tame Impala, Placebo, Ty Segall and The Fall. The venue also made a brief appearance in the 2008 film Bigga than Ben. The Coronet continued operating as a nightclub and live-music venue until 1 January 2018. Following delays, demolition of the historic building began in early 2021. The brand is therefore best understood as a defunct London entertainment-venue identity rather than an active record label, theatre company or currently operating business.

The site associated with The Coronet began as a theatre location in Elephant and Castle. The Theatre Royal was built there in 1872, but a fire destroyed it six years later. Reconstruction was initiated by Jethro Thomas Robinson and completed by Frank Matcham, producing the Elephant and Castle Theatre, which opened in 1879. The venue belonged to the large-scale popular theatre tradition of Victorian London. A very young Charlie Chaplin performed there during this period. The building changed substantially in the twentieth century. In 1928 it became an ABC cinema with an auditorium designed by Matcham & Co. under F. G. M. Chancellor. The cinema could accommodate roughly 3,100 people and included a revolving steam-driven organ. During the Second World War, the building survived the Blitz without being destroyed and served as a shelter. Its cinema history also intersected with postwar youth culture: a 1956 screening of Blackboard Jungle was followed by a disturbance involving Teddy Boy audience members, and similar incidents were reported around the country when the film was shown. As cinema exhibition developed, the venue was divided into multiple screens. ABC Cinemas acquired the Elephant and Castle Cinema in 1966 and converted it into a three-screen complex, adding a luxury lounge. Bonnie and Clyde was the first film screened after the conversion. The building went through additional changes of name before becoming the Coronet Cinema in 1981. The cinema closed in 1999, ending the site's role as a local cinema and leaving the Elephant and Castle district without one. The derelict property was acquired in 2002 by theatre producer and entrepreneur Dominic Madden. The subsequent restoration aimed to recover the building's historic character. The cinema partitions were removed, the upper gallery was brought back, the raked floor was eliminated, and the Art Deco elements were refurbished. The work was reported to have cost approximately £3 million, although this figure is not treated here as a verified financial disclosure. The venue reopened in April 2003 as a multimedia nightclub. In June 2003, the original nightclub management arrangement involving Heaven was replaced by a team headed by Simon Parkes, the founder of Brixton Academy. Under the new management, The Coronet operated as a combined live-music and nightlife venue. Its programming ranged from concerts and club nights to parties, allowing it to attract both established mainstream acts and alternative or electronic performers. Artists associated with the venue included Justin Timberlake, Wolfmother, Blur, Oasis, Primal Scream, The Libertines, Macy Gray, LCD Soundsystem, Hot Chip, Grinderman, The Decemberists, Hundred Reasons, Kelis, Alicia Keys, Caribou, Tame Impala, Placebo, Ty Segall and The Fall. The venue also retained a cultural presence outside its event programme. It appeared briefly in the 2008 film Bigga than Ben, and its surviving Art Deco interior remained a notable part of the building's identity. The Coronet's final period of operation ended on 1 January 2018. Demolition did not begin immediately, but work started in early 2021 after delays. The physical venue is now defunct, and the name primarily survives in historical accounts of London's theatre, cinema, club and live-music infrastructure.

1. 2021Demolition begins

   Demolition of the building began in early 2021 after delays following its closure.

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2. 2018Final closure

   The Coronet last operated on 1 January 2018.

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3. 2008Appearance in Bigga than Ben

   The venue made a brief appearance in the film Bigga than Ben.

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4. 2003Venue reopens as a nightclub

   The restored building reopened in April as a multimedia nightclub and subsequently expanded its live-music and events programme.

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5. 2002Derelict building acquired for redevelopment

   Dominic Madden acquired the derelict property and began a major restoration and conversion project.

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6. 1999Cinema closes

   The Coronet Cinema ceased cinema operations, leaving Elephant and Castle without a cinema.

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7. 1981The Coronet Cinema name adopted

   After several intervening names, the venue became known as the Coronet Cinema.

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8. 1966Cinema divided into three screens

   ABC Cinemas converted the site into a three-screen cinema complex and introduced a luxury lounge. Bonnie and Clyde was the first film shown after the conversion.

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9. 1956Blackboard Jungle disturbance

   A screening of Blackboard Jungle was followed by a riot involving Teddy Boy audience members, part of a wider pattern of disturbances at screenings of the film.

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10. 1928Conversion into an ABC cinema

    The theatre was converted into a large ABC cinema designed by Matcham & Co. under F. G. M. Chancellor.

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11. 1879Rebuilt theatre opens

    Following reconstruction led by Jethro Thomas Robinson and completed by Frank Matcham, the venue reopened as the Elephant and Castle Theatre.

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12. 1878Theatre Royal destroyed by fire

    The original Theatre Royal was destroyed by fire six years after its construction.

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13. 1872Theatre Royal opens on the site

    The first major theatre on the site was built as the Theatre Royal in Elephant and Castle.

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A large, characterful south London entertainment venue combining a restored historic auditorium and Art Deco architecture with live music, club events and nightlife programming.

• Live music concertsLive entertainment2003

  After its 2003 relaunch, The Coronet presented concerts by artists spanning mainstream pop, rock, indie, electronic and alternative music. Its large capacity and historic auditorium enabled it to function as a substantial London concert venue rather than only as a small club.

• Nightclub eventsNightlife2003

  The post-restoration Coronet operated as a multimedia nightclub, hosting regular nightlife programming, parties and club events. This nightclub role became one of the venue's defining activities during its final operating period.

• Cinema exhibitionCinema1928

  For much of the twentieth century, the building operated as a cinema under ABC and later as the Coronet Cinema. It began as a large single auditorium and was later divided into a three-screen complex in 1966.

• Theatrical performancesTheatre1879

  The site's original identity was theatrical. The rebuilt Elephant and Castle Theatre opened in 1879 and hosted stage performances before the building's conversion to cinema in 1928.

• 2003Reopen as a multimedia nightclub and live venueStrategy

  After the cinema had closed and the property had become derelict, its new ownership sought to restore the building and establish a new entertainment use.

  What changed. The cinema layout was removed, historic architectural features were restored, and the venue reopened in April as a multimedia nightclub. In June, management was transferred from Heaven to a team led by Simon Parkes.

  Aftermath. The Coronet operated as a combined nightclub, concert and party venue until its final closure in 2018.

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• 1966Introduce a three-screen cinema formatGeneration change

  Changing cinema economics and the emergence of multi-screen exhibition encouraged the venue to move away from a single large auditorium.

  What changed. ABC Cinemas divided the cinema into three screens and added a luxury lounge.

  Aftermath. The building continued operating as a cinema under a multiplex-style configuration until its closure in 1999.

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• 1928Convert the theatre into a cinemaStrategy

  The venue shifted from stage entertainment toward film exhibition during the expansion of cinema as a mass medium.

  What changed. The building was converted into an ABC cinema with a large auditorium and a revolving steam-driven organ.

  Aftermath. The site operated primarily as a cinema for the remainder of the twentieth century, apart from later changes in format and naming.

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• 2021Demolition of The Coronet building begins

  After delays following closure, demolition of the historic Elephant and Castle building began in early 2021.

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• 2018The Coronet closes after its final operation

  The Coronet ceased operating as a nightclub and live-music venue after 1 January 2018.

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• 1956Blackboard Jungle screening triggers audience riot

  A screening of Blackboard Jungle at the cinema was followed by a riot involving Teddy Boy members of the audience. Comparable disturbances subsequently occurred at screenings across the United Kingdom.

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1. The Coronet
2. Coronet Theatre website archive