This art deco classic of a cinema in Highams Park has been derelict as long as I've been in Walthamstow (24 years). In fact one of the facts on the hoarding is that the last film was shown there some time in the 70s. Anyway looks like it's finally being brought back to life as part of the ubiquitous building of new flats.
An errands and getting-things-done sort of day: taking the bike in for a service; going through all my clothes to see what I've actually got for a hottish holiday; ordering Euros; uploading my photo backup backlog.
For a small place, Highams Park, where I took my bike for its service, has nice cafes and also a small independent bookshop-cum-card shop. Found a couple of excellent books - one with old photos of buses, trams etc in Walthamstow and one on ghost signs (the ghost sign in yesterday's image is in there with info about the company). The guy in there (one half of the husband-and-wife team that run the place) saw me pick up the leaflet about the Waltham Forest Music Society and told me he was the chairman and encouraged me to come along.
3 good things
1. Nice veggie breakfast at the Corner Cafe by the station. Lots of toast and butter importantly.
2. Found a couple of pairs of summer trousers that still fit me.
3. Discovered the boquerones I'd found in Lidl's tapas corner in the fridge - maybe they'll be nice instead of anchovies in the salad nicoise later - less salty I think.
@wakelys oh how funny, it's one of my fave architectural styles - although having said that there are few styles that I don't have some time for even the perennially unpopular brutalism and post modern architecture.
Royally good! Butter so expensive now. LIDL? I did a translation today about a tender for construction of a new shop premises in Italy. They do well there!
I do miss proper cinemas. Walked past the one I went to in my early years the other day. Derelict like this, but I remember the plush red carpet, brass bannisters and the big red velvet seats. The usherettes with their ice cream and cigarettes on a tray suspended around their shoulders and their helpful torches to show you to your seat in the dark. Also how useful to have someone to make people be quiet! I don't enjoy cinema these days. People talk and rattle sweets, ice cubes and popcorn buckets all the time and distract you with the lights from their phones. Hashtag old fogey LOL
Most of our cinemas were art deco weren't they? Gorgeous style buildings. I love the Walthamstow Stadium front too, makes me smile whenever I drive past.
http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/37401
Ian