Coronet

There was a drama theatre on the site from 1872. The 1879 rebuild was the first theatre completed by Frank Matcham after Jethro T. Robinson's death. The 1932 building (which incorporates fragments of the earlier theatre) was designed by William Riddell Glen, FRIAS, LRIBA (1884-1950) who was one of the leading cinema and theatre architects of the period. It was built in partnership with Associated British Cinemas (ABC). Its narrow recessed rendered facade on New Kent Road is in the vaguely Art Deco style, but now obscured with cladding and easily removable. The bulk of the building rises behind in brown brick, almost to railway arches at one side. In order to compete with the once huge Trocadero opposite, it had a fully equipped stage, dressing rooms and full orchestra pit, and was designed for concert/musical live events as well as for cinema. The 1930s Art Deco style auditorium designed by Glen remains intact as an early example of his designs for ABC. It is of a restrained traditional design rather than his more ‘scalloped-edged’ examples. However, it displays all Glen’s characteristic detailing including spacious grille work and highly decorated ceiling. It retains a large decorative grille and lay light to the centre of the ceiling and a large square splayed ribbed proscenium, incorporating stylised grille work to the sides and top of the ante-proscenium. The auditorium features a deep scalloped cornice, fluted pilasters with dropped-scroll capitals and Art Deco decoration. The main features have been restored and the venue now operates as a multi-purpose music venue with lighting, projection and recording facilities with a funky feel. Without this new-found use, the building, which had been subdivided and run-down in recent years, would certainly have been lost. The Coronet is part of a site marked for redevelopment for housing, retail and leisure use, with the plans including demolition of the Coronet. In late 2018 planning approval was granted.