Mirth, Marvel and Maud

Mirth, Marvel and Maud
Former names
  • Walthamstow Granada
  • Walthamstow EMD
  • ABC Cinema
General information
Address 186 Hoe Street, Walthamstow, E17 4QH
Town or city Walthamstow
Website
mirthmarvelandmaud.com
Listed Building – Grade II*
Designated 1987
Reference no. 1065590[1]


Mirth, Marvel and Maud (previously known as Granada Cinema, Walthamstow EMD, MGM Cinema and ABC Cinema) is a pub, cinema and cultural centre located in Walthamstow, London. The building is known for having been frequented by Alfred Hitchcock and for being built on a site where films were shown as early as 1896.[2]

Construction

The building in its incarnation as the Granada - lit up with neon signs

In 1930 Granada plc built a 2,697 seat cinema, opened as The Granada. The building featured exteriors by Cecil Masey and interior decorations by Theodore Komisarjevsky.[1]

In later years, as a result of changed in the building's ownership, the cinema was known as MGM, ABC, and EMD cinema.

Closure

The building, boarded up, during the period of closure.

The cinema closed in 2003 and was purchased by Universal Church of the Kingdom of God (UCKG) with the intention of converting the building into a church. Many members of the local community opposed and campaigned against these plans.[3]

UCKG failed to gain planning permission to convert the building from Waltham Forest Council and later from the then Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Eric Pickles.[4]

Re-opening

In 2014, UCKG sold the cinema to pub company Antic[4] who re-opened the building as, under the new name of Mirth, Marvel and Maud.

When asked about the new name, Anthony Thomas, the head of Antic said:

We wanted to bring Mirth back to the Foyer, which is in itself a Walthamstow Marvel. My Great Aunt Maud took me to a similar space as a child, hence our chosen name.[2]

References

  1. 1 2 "ABC CINEMA List Entry Summary". Historic England.
  2. 1 2 "Hitchcock's Cinema Is Back From The Dead As A Pub". Londonist. December 2015.
  3. ↑ "'Victory' for campaign to save 'Hitchcock' cinema". BBC News. 18 May 2011.
  4. 1 2 "Walthamstow Granada cinema sold by church". BBC News. 10 November 2014.

Coordinates: 51°35′10″N 0°01′12″W / 51.5861°N 0.0199°W / 51.5861; -0.0199

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