Astoria Theatre, Brighton

The Astoria Theatre is a former cinema in Brighton, part of the English coastal city of Brighton and Hove. Built in 1933 in the Art Deco style for a local entertainment magnate who opened one of Brighton's first cinemas many years earlier, it was the first and most important expansion of the Astoria brand outside London. It initially struggled against the town's other "super-cinemas", but enjoyed a period of success in the 1950s and 1960s before rapid decline set in, culminating in its closure in 1977. About 20 years of use as a bingo hall followed, but the building—whose clean lines give "a sense of spacious grandeur" in a prominent city-centre site—has stood empty since the late 20th century and has passed through several owners. Permission was granted in 2012 for its demolition and replacement with an energy-efficient business centre designed by Conran and Partners, but it still stands as of. English Heritage has listed the building at Grade II for its architectural and historical importance. History1933–1977: CinemaBrighton and neighbouring Hove hold an important place in the early history of British cinema. Pioneering cinematographers who lived and worked in the area in the late 19th and early 20th centuries included William Friese-Greene, George Albert Smith (who founded one of the world's first film studios at St Ann's Well Gardens in Hove) and Esmé Collings. Public performances of films were given at Hove Town Hall from 1895 and at a hall in Brighton from the following year. By 1910, two purpose-built cinemas existed; one, the Duke of York's Picture House, is still in use and is the oldest operational cinema in England. During the 1920s and 1930s, larger and larger cinemas were built as demand increased; an early "super cinema" was the Regent Cinema (1921), and the 2, 500-seat Savoy followed in 1930.

The Astoria Theatre is a former cinema in Brighton, part of the English coastal city of Brighton and Hove. Built in 1933 in the Art Deco style for a local entertainment magnate who opened one of Brighton's first cinemas many years earlier, it was the first and most important expansion of the Astoria brand outside London. It initially struggled against the town's other "super-cinemas", but enjoyed a period of success in the 1950s and 1960s before rapid decline set in, culminating in its closure in 1977. About 20 years of use as a bingo hall followed, but the building—whose clean lines give "a sense of spacious grandeur" in a prominent city-centre site—has stood empty since the late 20th century and has passed through several owners. Permission was granted in 2012 for its demolition and replacement with an energy-efficient business centre designed by Conran and Partners, but it still stands as of. English Heritage has listed the building at Grade II for its architectural and historical importance. History1933–1977: CinemaBrighton and neighbouring Hove hold an important place in the early history of British cinema. Pioneering cinematographers who lived and worked in the area in the late 19th and early 20th centuries included William Friese-Greene, George Albert Smith (who founded one of the world's first film studios at St Ann's Well Gardens in Hove) and Esmé Collings. Public performances of films were given at Hove Town Hall from 1895 and at a hall in Brighton from the following year. By 1910, two purpose-built cinemas existed; one, the Duke of York's Picture House, is still in use and is the oldest operational cinema in England. During the 1920s and 1930s, larger and larger cinemas were built as demand increased; an early "super cinema" was the Regent Cinema (1921), and the 2, 500-seat Savoy followed in 1930.