Woolwich Grand Theatre

Considering the size of its employed population and the substantial army presence, Woolwich was surprisingly late in acquiring a large theatre to rival the ageing Royal and the quasi-theatrical concert room (later reconstructed as a theatre) in the Royal Artillery barracks. There was a proposal, before the turn of the century, for a Grand Theatre in Moorish style in Beresford Square by Frank Matcham, but this was never built.

Crewe's Grand Theatre and Opera House, opened by Sir Henry Irving in 1900, was a little apart from the busiest area of town, on a site adjoining the Town Hall. It presented drama, musical comedy, opera and, later, variety. By 1923 it had become a cinema with a Compton organ installed. Taken over by ABC in 1935, it was closed in 1939 and demolished for the building of a new cinema, but this was not completed (as the Regal) until 1955.

The Crewe theatre had a broad front in brick with stone dressings; five major bays (2+2+3+2+2) the centre and outer bays being three storeys with tall iron-crested pavilion roofs, the intermediate bays a storey lower with pitched roofs behind parapets. The central entrance was approached by a flight of steps. Busts of dramatists at high level. No illustrations of the interior have yet been located.

Although construction commenced, war prevented the W R Glen designed ABC from being completed. As a shell, it was requisitioned for storage. In 1955, it was completed to re-designed plans of C J Foster. Closed in 1982, it was purchased by the Borough of Greenwich who planned to re-open it as a live theatre. However, it was eventually leased and opened as a nightclub in 1985.

Nightclub use ceased due to loss of licence, and the building was sold to a private developer. From 2011 it was leased to a community group (Woolwich Grand Theatre Ltd.) which ran the Grand as a cinema, theatre and music venue. In 2014 planning permission was granted for the theatre’s demolition and redevelopment. The theatre closed on 10 April 2015, and was demolished later that year.