Clapham Granada

• Theatre ID
  2408
• Built / Converted
  1937
• Dates of use
  • 1937 - 1970
• Current state
  Extant
• Current use
  disused
• Address
  St John's Hill, Wandsworth, London, SW11, England

Details

The Granada was built at the top of St John’s Hill on the site of Battersea County School, the stage house dominating the bridge over Clapham Junction Station. It is said to be the finest of the Granada exteriors, in restrained moderne design with rounded corner entrance and fin tower at stage end. Faience base with neon and under-canopy lighting. The auditorium was approached through a grand foyer lined with mirrors, overlooked, in Komisarjevsky style, by the balcony foyer, with cafe on circular corner. The interior, in free Italian Renaissance style, was remarkable for its lavishness. The colour scheme was a warm stone with ornament in gold, blue, green and red. The stage had full stage facilities with a counterweight system, and an organ was installed under the stage. The Granada was tripled in 1973, but detripled in 1980, when it was converted for bingo, which use protected it until closure in 1997. Although listed in 1998, the building is under threat, and remains closed. Its survival depends on persuading developers to include the building within their new proposed over-all plan. Such a plan appears to be emerging (2005).

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• Events
  • Owner/Management: Granada
  • 1937 - 1970 Use:
  • 1937 Design/Construction:
    • Leslie C Norton & H B Horner with Cecil Masey and Theodore Komisarjevsky - Architect
  • 1937 Design/Construction:
    • Dixon Hurst - Consultant: Structural Engineer
    • Clark & Fenn Ltd - Consultant: Decoration & Fibrous Plaster
    • Garton & Thorne Ltd - Consultant: Ornamental Grilles
    • C C Harris - Consultant: Metal Balustrade
    • Art Pavements & Decorations Ltd - Consultant: Terrazzo Paving
  • 1973 Alteration: tripled
    • Unknown - Architect
  • 1980 Alteration: converted to bingo (full volume of auditorium restored)
    • Unknown - Architect
  • 1991 Owner/Management: Gala
• Capacities
  • Original: 2475
• Listings
  • Grade II* - Upgraded in 1999