Rialto

The West End Theatre, as it was originally named, may have been designed for modest stage presentations but it is doubtful if it ever served such a purpose. The inclusion of a dedicated cinema in this database is necessary because the Rialto's highly theatrical appearance will inevitably lead to speculation.

The Blancs designed the stone exterior with its big arched façade to Coventry Street, but the interior was the creation of Horace Gilbert of Gilbert & Constanduros. The cinema (which had a restaurant below) had the first advertising neon sign in central London. A grand marble staircase led to a splendid oval auditorium with a deeply coved ceiling, a proscenium arch springing from Corinthian columns and delicate plasterwork throughout. The curving balcony front terminated on either side with domed oriel boxes (removed in 1954).