Troxy

Erected on the site of a former brewery, The Troxy was one of the largest and most palatial cinemas in the area, opening in September 1933, and seating 3250. The dignified facade offered a good frontage to the main road, and was of faience, with terra-cotta ornament at roof level. Over the wide central entrance were three large windows in a stone facing surround. The main vestibule was exceptionally lofty and spacious, with a marble floor in bands of red corona, campan verte and golden travertine, richly veined. The skirtings to the walls were in black marble, and a gold onyx staircase with large ornamental mirrors and coved lighting led up to the stalls and balcony entrances. The auditorium featured ornamental grille-work on the side walls and three-colour cove lighting on either side of the large proscenium. A central ornamental plaque in the ceiling delivered the air-conditioning, and the balcony front contained floodlights, controlled by the stage switchboard. The stage contained four revolving stages, an orchestra pit which could be raised or lowered, and the most modern stage lighting.

The Troxy operated a policy of ciné-variety, as well as ballet, stage and big-band shows, circus and pantomime. It escaped damage in the blitz, and today remains virtually unaltered. Surviving as a cinema until 1960 the decline of local residential population, and the popularity of television, forced closure. It was given a new lease of life in 1963 when it re-opened as the London Opera Centre, a training school for Opera singers. The interior was altered to provide a full-size replica of Covent Garden’s stage, the rear stalls were converted to a scenery painting studio, and a lecture theatre was erected in the rear circle, with a rehearsal room, and several other studios. There remained 500 seats in the circle for occasional performances. In 1992, the Royal Opera House relinquished the option on their lease, and Rank refurbished the interior, removing the 1963 alterations, to re-open as Top Rank Bingo, reinstating the huge auditorium. The interior colours are an astonishing array of pinks, mauves, blues, grey and white, and the proscenium is outlined in matching neon.

In 2015, the venue became home to Europe's largest Wurlitzer organ, originally installed at the Trocadero Cinema, Elephant and Castle.