Skip to main content

Plaza Cinema

638

Stone, classical front with domed corner tower. Shops at street level. The Plaza was one of the first truly elaborate large cinemas built in the West End with American money. The interior was designed by Marc Henri. The cinema had full stage facilities and featured a shows staged by Francis A Mangan featuring the Tiller Girls, who performed a routine appropriate to each new feature and who were noted for their precision. Of perhaps greater interest was its plan, which survives vestigially: Paramount were the only company to build cinemas in Britain with small, prestigious mezzanines (here variously called the ‘Royal Circle’ or ‘Foyer Loge’) between the stalls (or parterre) and the circle.

The conversion to twin cinemas in 1967-8 was the most expensive then undertaken. Sadly, this means that an exceptionally thorough job was done. There remain only fragments of the old decoration at the very top of the building.

Built / Converted
1926
Dates of use
  • 1926 - 1960
Current state
Extant
Current use
Converted to other use (continued solely as a cinema to Dec 2001; now converted to retail)
Address
17-25 Lower Regent Street, London, Westminster, SW1Y 4XB, England
Website-
Further details
Other names
Plaza-Paramount , Paramount-Universal
Events
  • Owner/Management: On Crown Estate land
  • 1925 Owner/Management: Paramount, now UCI (since 1972 merger of Paramount and Universal)
  • 1926 Design/Construction:
    Frank Verity
    - Architect
    Marc Henri
    - Consultant
  • 1926 - 1960 Use:
  • 1968 Design/Construction: reconstructed as twin cinema.
    Robin Denny
    - Consultant
    wall panels in Plaza 1
    Verity & Beverley
    - Architect
  • 1977 Alteration: further subdivision (architect unknown).
  • 2004 Alteration: converted to retail (architect unknown).
Capacities
  • Capacity
    Original
    Description
    1896
  • Capacity
    Later
    Description
    4 screen cinema
    820 (1) 378 (2) 163 (3) 18 (4)
Listings
  • Listing
    II
Stage type
-
Building dimensions: -
Stage dimensions: -
Proscenium width: -
Height to grid: -
Inside proscenium: -
Orchestra pit: None