Troxy, Stepney

This is the former Troxy Cinema in Stepney, London during its days as a Mecca bingo hall. It stopped as a bingo venue around 2005 and, renovated, it now serves as a concert, sports and events venue.

The cinema was designed by George Coles and openned in September 1933 but was closed in 1960 as a lot of the local population had been relocated due to war damage and subsequent slum clearance.

After lying vacant for three years it became the London Opera Centre and was used by the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden to construct sets and as their rehearsal space.

In the 1990s it became a bingo hall and remained so for around 15 years.

This photo shows one of the three identical decorative panels above the large windows on the front of the cinema. They have been painted over as this 1961 photo posted on Flickr by dusashenka shows them as gold on a black background.

Many of the interior elements seemed to be intact (in 2000-01) including this wonderful (and grainy, sorry!) ceiling light fitting.

References:
Troxy Cinema, cinematreasures.org
www.troxy.co.uk