The Savoy Theatre, East Street and Grand Junction Parade, Brighton
Later - ABC / Cannon / MGM / Virgin / ABC again / Grosvenor Casino / Pier Nine Casino
Brighton's Theatres Index
Above - The East Street Facade of the Savoy Theatre, Brighton when it first opened in 1930 - From The Architects' Journal, 8th of April 1931.
The Savoy Theatre, Brighton had originally been designed in 1929 by F. C. Mitchell for Savoy Cinemas, but was redesigned with more facilities by Wiliam R. Glen when Savoy Cinemas became part of the Associated British Cinemas Group (ABC) later that year, it eventually opened as the Savoy Theatre on Friday the 1st of August 1930. The Theatre was constructed on the site of the former Brill's Baths, which had been a popular swimming establishment since 1823, and was enlarged and rebuilt to the designs of George Gilbert Scott in 1869, this was demolished in 1929 however, for the construction of the Savoy Theatre.
Right - The Grand Junction Parade Facade of the Savoy Theatre, Brighton when it first opened in 1930 - From The Architects' Journal, 8th of April 1931.
The Savoy Theatre was designed by the Architect Wiliam R. Glen with an Oriental Style Auditorium providing 2,567 seats on two levels, stalls and one balcony, with decorations designed by Charles Muggeridge. The Theatre, which cost £250,000 to construct and fit out, had two prominent Entrances, one on the Brighton Sea Front on Grand Junction Parade, and the other on East Street behind the L Shaped building.
Designed primarily as a Cinema the Savoy also had a Stage and Dressing Rooms so that live Variety shows could be presented along with the Films although this appears never to have been used. The Theatre also had a Compton Theatre Organ, played on its opening by Quentin Maclean, and two Restaurants, two Cafes, a Dance Hall, and an underground car park with space for 300 cars.
The Architect's Journal reported on the Theatre in their 8th of April 1931 edition, along with some of the images shown here, saying:- 'This theatre stands in what might be termed the Bond Street of Brighton. It has two principal entrances, one from the Grand Junction Parade, and the other from the corner of East Street and Pool Valley. The building has a total seating' accommodation for over 2,500 persons, and contains fully-licensed restaurant rooms, café rooms, and facilities for parking three hundred cars.
The auditorium has been given a semi-atmospheric treatment of an oriental character. The ceiling is painted a light sky blue, with, in the centre, a golden sun, through which light is flooded down on to the stalls.
Above - The Auditorium and Stage of the Savoy Theatre, Brighton when it first opened in 1930 - From The Bioscope, 13th of August 1930.
Above - The Auditorium and Stage of the Savoy Theatre, Brighton when it first opened in 1930 - From The Architectural Review of December 1930.
Above - The Auditorium and Stage of the Savoy Theatre, Brighton when it first opened in 1930 - From The Architects' Journal, 8th of April 1931.
Above - The Auditorium from the Stage of the Savoy Theatre, Brighton when it first opened in 1930 - From The Kinematograph Weekly, 14th of August 1930.
The upper wall surfaces display landscape and other scenes, carried out mainly in shades of blues and pale yellows, and of a character rather Japanese than Chinese. These scenes are framed by ornamented pilasters in stone and other colours, supporting a cornice from which concealed light is cast both upwards and downwards on to the ceiling and the landscape. The lower walls are treated in a more simple manner in warm tones of buff, with a dado in richer and more pronounced colours.
Right - The Savoy Theatre, Brighton's Entrance Foyer from Grand Junction Parade - From The Architects' Journal, 8th of April 1931.
The marble used is San Stefano of specially selected quality, with large figure, and quarried in one of the groups of islands of Dalmatia.
The coloured bands in the main entrance are Tinos (the green bands) from the island of Tinos, Greece; and the pink marble is Breche Rose, produced in Norway.
Left - The Savoy Theatre, Brighton's Entrance Foyer from East Street - From The Kinematograph Weekly, 14th of August 1930.
The general tone of the carpets in the auditorium is rose madder, with a pavement and cobble-stone design, on which, here and there, butterflies in a medley of tropical colours seem to have settled.
The seats are covered in velvet in four different colours so as to blend not too obtrusively with the many tints employed throughout this part of the building.
In the top left-hand corner of the stage curtain, the Chinese lettering is to be interpreted as meaning: "Our noble patrons are humbly beseeched not to despise this unworthy entertainment." This accords with the custom of a Chinese host, who refers to what he offers his guest in depreciatory terms.
Right - The First Floor Restaurant of the Savoy Theatre, Brighton when it first opened in 1930 - From The Architects' Journal, 8th of April 1931.
The system of ventilation has been designed as far as possible to admit fresh air at the main ceiling level and the ceiling level under the balcony of the theatre, the vitiated air being extracted by fans through the balcony step risers.
The size of the ventilating plant may better be imagined by the fact that 50 h.p. is necessary to drive the plant. The whole of the air is thoroughly washed and warmed or cooled to the desired temperature before being delivered to the theatre; thus, regardless of exterior climatic conditions, a complete change of air is effected six times per hour.
Left - The Second Floor Cafe of the Savoy Theatre, Brighton when it first opened in 1930 - From The Architects' Journal, 8th of April 1931.
The dressing rooms, stage, toilets, vestibules, etc., are heated by means of low-pressure hot-water radiators. A centralized system of hot-water service is also installed. All the boilers necessary for these plants are oil-fired and fitted with electrically-operated automatic controls and regulators.
Above - The Dance Hall and Tea Room of the Savoy Theatre, Brighton when it first opened in 1930 - From The Architects' Journal, 8th of April 1931.
The electric light fittings were specially designed in collaboration with Mr. Glen, the architect, and Mr. Charles Muggeridge, the decorative consultant. All the fittings are constructed of copper to resist action of sea air, and—except in the auditorium and first and second-floor tea rooms, where the finish is verdigris green - are coated with real silver and lacquered.
A special point has been made of making the theatre safe from the possibility of fire. In addition to being of fireproof construction, it is equipped with automatic sprinklers, a hydrant service and hand fire-extinguishers. Over one million bricks were used in the construction of the cinema.
Above - Wiliam R. Glen' 1930 Plans of the Savoy Theatre, Brighton - From The Architects' Journal, 8th of April 1931.
General Contractors, M. J. Gleeson, Ltd. Sub-contractors: W. H. Blake & Co., Ltd., steelwork; W. Draper & Co. Ltd., electrical equipment; H. Morris & Co.. Ltd., seating; Shaws Glazed Brick Co., Ltd., terra-cotta; J. Jeffreys & Co., Ltd., heating and ventilation; H. H. Martyn & Co.. Ltd., fibrous plaster and paintwork; Clark Vigilant Sprinklers, Ltd., fire appliances; A. Emanuel and Sons, Ltd., electric light fittings; White & Co., Brighton, Ltd., timber; Haywards, Ltd., pavements lights; Sussex Brick Co., Ltd., bricks; Channel Haulage Co., haulage; Ross, Ltd., projection apparatus; John Compton Organ Co.. Ltd., organ; Robert Adams, door springs, locks, furniture, etc., throughout building; Chas. Walker & Co., marble work; George Freeman, Ltd., plaster; G. W. Dawes and Son, plumbing and glazing; A. Coltman & Co., Ltd., display cases, etc.; Harvey & Co., demolition; Marshall, plasterwork; Express Lift Co.. Ltd., lifts.'
The above text in quotes (edited) was first published in The Architect's Journal, 8th of April 1931.
Above - The East Street Facade of the former Savoy Theatre, Brighton in August 2025 - Photo M.L.
The Savoy Theatre, Brighton had first opened on the 1st of August 1930 with seating for 2,567 people on two levels, stalls and one balcony.
Right - The Grand Junction Parade Entrance of the former Savoy Theatre, Brighton in August 2025 - Photo M.L.
In 1961 the Theatre was divided into two screens, one on each level of the former stalls and balcony, and renamed as an ABC Cinema. Two more screens were added in 1975/76, in the rear stalls area. It later became a Cannon Cinema in 1986, an MGM Cinema in 1991, and a Virgin Cinema in 1994. However, the large Screen 1 upstairs was closed at this time and remained unused for the next ten years. Virgin sold the Cinema to a newly formed ABC Cinemas Company in 1996 and its name reverted to ABC, although this was unrelated to the original ABC Group.
In 2000 the former Theatre was converted into a Nightclub with a Restaurant and Bars. The southern section of the building would later be converted into the Grosvenor Casino in 2007 with its entrance on the Sea Front. The Entrance on East Street and its Foyer was later converted into Chinese Restaurant in 2011. Today, although still run by Grosvenor Casinos, the Casino in the former Savoy Theatre is known as the Pier Nine Casino.
Despite all the internal alterations over the years the former Savoy Theatre is today the only surviving example of Brighton's Super Cinemas, the former Regent Theatre was demolished in 1974 and the Astoria Theatre was demolished in 2018.
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