Vue West End

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Vue West End
Cranbourn Street, Leicester Square
London, September 2016

“Vue West End is a nine-screen cinema complex in Leicester Square, London, operated by Vue Cinemas. The multiplex was constructed in 1993 on the site of what was previously the Warner West End cinema. The site was previously occupied by Daly's Theatre, which opened on 27 June 1893; following acquisition by Warner Brothers, this was demolished in 1937, to build a new 1,789-seat cinema, which opened on 12 October 1938 showing The Adventures of Robin Hood starring Errol Flynn. Known as the Warner Theatre, its architects were Thomas Somerford and E.A. Stone, and it featured a facade of reconstructed marble panels, with large relief panels in each top corner by Bainbridge Copnall depicting the spirits of sight and sound. Its single auditorium was a 2 level design, with a circle balcony, and its sidewalls were fitted with asbestos panels, perforated with large holes, over acoustic absorption. In 1970, the original auditorium was subdivided at a cost of $1.5 million to form 2 screens, known as the Warner West End (with 800 seats) and the Rendezvous Warner West End (with 700 seats). The Warner West End opened 29 October 1970 with the British premiere of There Was a Crooked Man... starring Kirk Douglas and Henry Fonda, and the Rendezvous opened 12 November with the world premiere of The Rise and Rise of Michael Rimmer. A third auditorium, built in the former bar area, was added in 1974, with the screens now numbered 1–3. In 1975 Screen 2 was subdivided into 2 auditoria, and a 5th auditorium was added in 1981. The whole complex became known as the Warner West End. Following its closure on 12 September 1991, the 1938 building was almost entirely demolished, but with the retention of, in particular, most of the front facade. A new 9 screen multiplex was constructed having a total capacity of 2,482, opening on 23 September 1993 with a Royal premiere of The Fugitive. The architect was HGP Greentree Allchurch Evans with Higgs and Hill as the main contractor.” (Vue West End, Wikipedia)