Gaumont State

• Theatre ID
  2051
• Built / Converted
  1937
• Dates of use
  • 1937 - 1974: (occasional)
• Current state
  Extant
• Current use
  Bingo
• Address
  Kilburn High Road & Willesden Lane, Brent, London, NW6 7HY, England

Details

Opened at the end of 1937, the Gaumont State, Kilburn was George Cole’s crowning achievement, and a concept of grand and impressive size. It was built for the Hyams Brothers, and took over two years to complete, but was sold to Gaumont Super Cinemas before opening. It is said that the name ‘State’ came from the huge 36.56m (120ft) tower, reminiscent of the Empire State building in New York. The cream faience tower originally housed the theatre’s broadcasting studio in its base. It is flanked by two shorter towers, a little higher than the surrounding buildings, and the entrance is covered by a large canopy. The body of the auditorium lies behind rows of (older) shops on the main high street. The upper parts of these were given a similar faience treatment. There is a large car park and access for loading at the rear of the stage end. On the corner on Willesden Lane was an imposing second entrance with restaurant and dance floor above. The foyer is in what was called at the time ‘Italian Renaissance style’, with pillars, marble. elaborate plaster cornices, chandeliers and huge mirrors. Grand stairways lead to the vast auditorium. This seated 4004 on two levels, making it today the largest surviving conventional auditorium in the country. It is in Classical style, with a fully equipped stage, workshops and dressing rooms. The orchestra pit had a separate lift for the organ console; the organ is now positioned permanently to one side of the front stalls area. The State closed at the outbreak of war, reopened for weekends in 1940 and resumed normal opening in 1944. In the 1960s, the rear stalls area was separated by a dividing wall to form a ballroom, and this was later converted to a bingo club. A smaller cinema was made from the restaurant area. In 1980, the building was listed, and the dividing wall removed, the whole auditorium converting to bingo. The small cinema closed in 1990 and remains boarded up. Apart from adaptations for bingo, the original atmosphere of the building is easily experienced.

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• Events
  • 1937 - 1974 Use: (occasional)
  • 1937 Design/Construction:
    • George Coles - Architect
  • 1960 - 0 Alteration: area beneath balcony subdivided for ballroom (architect unknown).
  • 1975 - 0 Alteration: former restaurant converted to cinema (architect unknown).
  • 1980 - 0 Alteration: division beneath balcony removed; whole auditorium converted to bingo (architect unknown).
  • 1937 - 0 Owner/Management: built for Hyams Brothers; sold to Gaumont Super Cinemas on completion.
  • Owner/Management: Mecca (lessees?)
• Capacities
  • Original: 4004
• Listings
  • Grade II*
• Dimensions
  • Stage dimensions: Depth: 50ft