The Wanstead Cinema

Wanstead was able to boast an early cinema in the days of silent films, long before many other towns had one.

Opened in 1913 as the Wanstead Empire, this cinema had seating for six hundred people. The Woodford Times in 1913 commented on the commodious Vestibule that will accommodate 200 people so that no one had to queue out in the rain for a ticket. The cinema was described as being high class. Prices were 4d 6d and 1shilling.

The cinema showed high class films with excellent orchestral accompaniment. It even boasted a powerful electrical plant, something quite new in 1913.

Later on, the cinema became the Wanstead Kinema and continued showing films up until 1961. After that, the cinema was turned into a bowling alley, like so many of the cinemas at the time. I remember the building as a Snooker hall. It now appears to be a Chinese restaurant. 

The building survives and can quite clearly be seen

.

The pictures left and top left are used with permission from "Epping forest:Then and Now" 
by Winston G Ramsey. The colour picture is  by G Welch. 2002

If you have any memories or photographs of the cinema or the bowling alley please get in touch.

"Epping Forest: Then and now" is published by After the Battle Publications.