My Memorys

Hi, I live in Chadwell Heath, next door to the rear at park of the old cinema. I have been working on a restoration project, these past few months, for the Embassy Cinema of Chadwell Heath; a former 1930s art deco cinema, that hosted sophisticated entertainment. It is one of the only historic buildings left in my hometown. My team are currently working with our Council (London Borough of Redbridge) to locally list the building, and grant it “Asset of Community Value” status. We then plan to acquire the building and restore it to its former glory. Many of its original features still exist; from the art deco lights and door frames, to the original Proscenium Arch, Stage and Orchestra Pit. Even the old Projector Room has endured after all this time. We intend to use the Auditorium as a Repertory Cinema and Theatre. Old classics, cult movies, themed screenings, viewings with live soundtracks, and arthouse productions can bring generations of people together. Local schools, colleges and communities can host amateur dramatic productions. Jazz, Swing, Big Band, Blues and Classical Orchestras can bring nights of refinement. The Dance Hall can be brought alive again, with late-evenings of Ballroom and Latin dancing. Keeping the building authentic to a retro/vintage era will easily make it stand out in East London, and give it some personality. We have obtained the original blueprints, and plans of the building, in order to restore it to exactly how it used to be. Many other art deco cinemas, in the UK, have either been demolished or converted unimaginatively into flats and supermarkets. They were not properly protected, and now they are gone forever. We want to protect the building, repair the damage, and make this landmark culturally significant again. A place for film and theatre to co-exist for those with a mutual appreciation of the Arts; a rejuvenation of our area that can have a lasting impact for generations. We have been in touch with ‘East Brook Studios’; the major, new film studio developing in Dagenham (approx. twelve minutes away from the Embassy Cinema). Since the area is being cultivated into a new British home for film, the two projects could work in tandem; thereby creating a multitude of jobs and services for the local community. From hosting philanthropic events, to premieres and screenings - all in a vintage, glamorous setting – the opportunities are limitless. We are looking for architects, historians, benefactors and those in the film/cinema industry who are interested in, or have a knowledge of: • Art Deco Architecture • Building Restoration & Heritage • Retro/Vintage Features of the 1930s • Repertory Cinemas • Historic Decades such as “The Roaring Twenties” & “The Prohibition Era” If you are one, or know someone, feel free to message me.

I was the last person to be born in the old mill house 1949