Towers Cinema

Towers Cinema was a purpose-built cinema on Hornchurch High Street in what is now the London Borough of Havering, England. Constructed in 1935 on part of the former Grey Towers estate, it was named after the stately home that had occupied the site before being demolished in 1931. The building was commissioned by David J. James, a brewing industrialist who had established the D.J. James Cinema Circuit, and was designed by the architectural partnership of Leslie Hagger Kemp and Frederick Edward Tasker. Its design reflected the popularity of streamlined and decorative Art Deco cinema architecture in interwar Britain. The cinema opened on 3 August 1935 with a double bill consisting of The Phantom Light, starring Binnie Hale, and Vagabond Lady, starring Robert Young. It was planned as a substantial entertainment venue rather than merely a screening room. The auditorium could accommodate 1,799 patrons, while the building also included a shallow stage with dressing rooms, a first-floor café-ballroom for approximately 200 people, a cosmetics saloon, and a large car park. Clark & Fenn were responsible for the ornate interior decoration, including features in the auditorium and other public areas. In March 1937, David J. James sold his cinema circuit to Eastern Cinemas (GCF) Ltd. Eastern Cinemas was subsequently taken over by the Odeon chain in 1943, bringing the venue into a larger national cinema network. During the Odeon period, prominent neon Odeon signage was installed over the original Towers lettering. The cinema continued operating until 6 October 1973, when its final programme was a screening of the James Bond film Live and Let Die. Later in 1973, the building was converted into a Top Rank bingo hall. The venue subsequently operated as Mecca Bingo, and this use continued for several decades. The conversion altered parts of the foyer and lower auditorium, while the café-ballroom was divided into offices with partition walls and a false ceiling. Nevertheless, significant historic elements survived, including decorative wall and ceiling treatments and private boxes in the main auditorium. The building closed as a bingo hall in 2015. The property was sold to Lidl in 2015 for redevelopment as a supermarket. Local residents and heritage campaigners sought to preserve the building and obtain statutory protection from Historic England. Havering London Borough Council temporarily protected the structure while its heritage value was assessed, and the Twentieth Century Society opposed demolition. Everyman Cinemas also explored purchasing the building, but its offer arrived too late to prevent the redevelopment plan. In August 2016, Havering Council approved demolition. Lidl stated that it would preserve the concrete lettering spelling Towers and incorporate it into a public art installation at street level. The former cinema was demolished in April 2017. A Lidl supermarket opened on the site on 15 March 2018. Towers Cinema therefore survives primarily through historical records, architectural documentation, and memories of its successive uses as a cinema and bingo hall.

Towers Cinema was built on the southern edge of the former Grey Towers estate at the western end of Hornchurch High Street. Grey Towers, a stately residence, had been requisitioned during the First World War for use as a military hospital and army camp before being demolished in 1931. The later cinema deliberately retained the association through its name. The venue was commissioned by David J. James, a former brewing industrialist who became a cinema entrepreneur and established the D.J. James Cinema Circuit. Leslie Hagger Kemp and Frederick Edward Tasker designed the building. Their Kemp & Tasker practice worked on a number of cinemas in southern England, and Towers Cinema formed part of the interwar expansion of purpose-built suburban picture houses. Clark & Fenn designed the interior decoration. Towers Cinema opened on 3 August 1935. Its principal auditorium seated 1,799 people and was complemented by a shallow stage, dressing rooms, a first-floor café-ballroom capable of seating about 200, a cosmetics saloon, and a substantial car park. The opening programme paired The Phantom Light, featuring Binnie Hale, with Vagabond Lady, featuring Robert Young. These facilities positioned the building as a broad entertainment complex rather than a simple film venue. The business changed ownership in March 1937, when James sold his circuit to Eastern Cinemas (GCF) Ltd. Eastern Cinemas was taken over by Odeon Cinemas in 1943. The building subsequently received the distinctive neon Odeon signage associated with the chain, covering the word Towers that had been cut into the fabric of the building. The original lettering was later restored in 2010. The cinema closed on 6 October 1973. Its last film showing was Live and Let Die, then a recently released James Bond film. Later the same year, the property was converted into a Top Rank bingo hall. It subsequently became a Mecca Bingo venue and remained in bingo use until its closure in 2015. The bingo conversion changed important parts of the building. The foyer and lower auditorium were altered, and the café-ballroom was subdivided into offices using partition walls and a false ceiling that concealed its ornate coffered ceiling. Other historic elements remained, including decorative wall and ceiling work and private boxes in the main auditorium. The building's architectural significance was also considered in the context of other Kemp & Tasker projects, including cinemas in Romford, Stepney, St Albans, Dunstable, and Camberwell. Several comparable buildings received heritage recognition, although Towers Cinema itself was not listed. In 2015, the property was sold to Lidl for replacement by a supermarket. A local preservation campaign sought to retain the building and have it assessed by Historic England. Havering London Borough Council imposed temporary protection while the heritage assessment took place, and the Twentieth Century Society opposed demolition. Everyman Cinemas made an approach to acquire and reuse the building, but its offer was submitted too late to alter the redevelopment process. Havering Council approved demolition in August 2016. Lidl announced that it would retain the concrete Towers lettering and use it in a public art installation at street level. The building was demolished in April 2017. The replacement Hornchurch Lidl opened on 15 March 2018, ending the physical presence of the cinema while preserving limited elements of its identity in the redevelopment.

• 2018

  Replacement supermarket opens

  [1]Towers Cinemaen.wikipedia.org

  A Lidl supermarket opened on the former cinema site on 15 March.

• 2017

  Building demolished

  [1]Towers Cinemaen.wikipedia.org

  The former cinema was demolished in April.

• 2016

  Demolition approved

  [1]Towers Cinemaen.wikipedia.org

  Havering Council approved the scheme to demolish the building and replace it with a Lidl supermarket.

• 2015

  Bingo hall closes and preservation campaign begins

  [1]Towers Cinemaen.wikipedia.org

  The Mecca Bingo operation ended, while campaigners sought to protect the building from proposed redevelopment.

• 2010

  Original Towers lettering restored

  [1]Towers Cinemaen.wikipedia.org

  The original lettering cut into the building was restored after having been covered by Odeon signage.

• 1973

  Cinema closes and becomes a bingo hall

  [1]Towers Cinemaen.wikipedia.org

  After its final film screening on 6 October, the building was converted into a Top Rank bingo hall.

• 1943

  Odeon takeover

  [1]Towers Cinemaen.wikipedia.org

  Eastern Cinemas was taken over by Odeon Cinemas, introducing the venue into the Odeon operating network.

• 1937

  Cinema circuit sold to Eastern Cinemas

  [1]Towers Cinemaen.wikipedia.org

  David J. James sold his cinema circuit, including Towers Cinema, to Eastern Cinemas (GCF) Ltd.

• 1935

  Towers Cinema opens

  [1]Towers Cinemaen.wikipedia.org

  The new cinema opened on 3 August with a 1,799-seat auditorium and supporting entertainment facilities.

• 1931

  Grey Towers estate is demolished

  [1]Towers Cinemaen.wikipedia.org

  The former Grey Towers mansion was demolished, leaving part of the estate available for later development.

A large suburban Art Deco entertainment venue serving Hornchurch and the surrounding area, later repositioned as a bingo hall.

• Cinema exhibition · 1935

  Towers Cinema film screenings

  The venue's primary offering was theatrical film exhibition in a large 1,799-seat Art Deco auditorium. Its opening programme in August 1935 used a double-bill format, and the cinema continued operating under successive independent, Eastern Cinemas, and Odeon ownership arrangements until its closure in 1973.

• Live entertainment facilities · 1935

  Stage and event facilities

  Alongside film screenings, the building included a shallow stage with dressing rooms and a first-floor café-ballroom that could accommodate approximately 200 people. These features allowed the venue to support stage presentations, social events, and ancillary entertainment uses.

• Bingo entertainment · 1973

  Top Rank and Mecca Bingo

  After cinema operations ended, the building was converted into a Top Rank bingo hall and later operated as Mecca Bingo. This was the building's principal commercial use from 1973 until the bingo facility closed in 2015.

• 2016Proposed Everyman Cinemas reuse

  Hornchurch · London · United Kingdom

  Everyman Cinemas approached the owners with an offer to purchase and potentially return the building to cinema use.

  Outcome. The approach was submitted too late to change the approved redevelopment plans.

  Source
• 2015Save Towers Cinema preservation campaign

  Hornchurch · London · United Kingdom

  Local campaigners attempted to preserve the former cinema after its sale for supermarket redevelopment. The campaign sought heritage recognition and support from Historic England, while the Twentieth Century Society opposed demolition. Havering Council temporarily protected the building during assessment.

  Outcome. The campaign did not prevent demolition. The building was eventually removed in April 2017.

  Source

• 2016

  Approval of demolition and redevelopmentOther

  Background

  Havering Council considered the redevelopment proposal after heritage campaigners sought to retain the Art Deco building.

  Action taken

  The council approved demolition in August. Lidl planned to retain the Towers concrete lettering in a street-level public art installation.

  Aftermath

  The former cinema was demolished in April 2017 and replaced by a Lidl supermarket that opened in March 2018.

  Source

• 2015

  Sale for supermarket redevelopmentStrategy

  Background

  The bingo facility had closed, and the former cinema was no longer operating as an entertainment venue.

  Action taken

  The property was sold to Lidl for demolition and replacement by a supermarket.

  Aftermath

  The sale prompted a preservation campaign, temporary council protection, and a late approach from Everyman Cinemas.

  Source

• 1973

  Conversion from cinema to bingo hallStrategy

  Background

  The cinema closed after its final screening on 6 October 1973.

  Action taken

  The building was converted into a Top Rank bingo hall, later becoming a Mecca Bingo venue.

  Aftermath

  The structure remained in entertainment use, but parts of the foyer, lower auditorium, and café-ballroom were altered.

  Source

• 1943

  Odeon takeover of Eastern CinemasM&A

  Background

  Eastern Cinemas (GCF) Ltd operated the venue after acquiring the D.J. James circuit.

  Action taken

  Odeon Cinemas took over Eastern Cinemas.

  Aftermath

  Odeon branding was installed at the building, including characteristic neon signage.

  Source

• 1937

  Sale of the D.J. James cinema circuitM&A

  Background

  David J. James decided to sell his cinema circuit, which included Towers Cinema, after establishing the venue as part of his independent chain.

  Action taken

  The circuit was sold to Eastern Cinemas (GCF) Ltd.

  Aftermath

  Towers Cinema later entered the Odeon network when Eastern Cinemas was taken over in 1943.

  Source

1. 1Towers Cinemaen.wikipedia.org