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Original Text (Annotation: EAW034999 / 880627)
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Carlton (ABC) Cinema, Essex Road, N1
Designed by English architect George Coles in 1930 and now a Grade II listed building, the Carlton is Islington's answer to the Coles' other notable landmarks: the Troxy in Stepney Green, and several other Odeon cinemas across the UK.
Typical of Coles' style, the façade of the building is in the form of an Egyptian 'pylon' temple and is decorated with Egyptian iconography including lotus flowers and buds. It is faced with brightly-coloured ceramic tiles.
Inside, the is building decorated with Empire style fittings, with more Egyptian-style touches in the auditorium. It was equipped with plush balcony seating and a cafe for patrons, and once housed a large organ to be played during silent movie performances.
At the time of its opening, the cinema was owned by C&R Theatres, but it was later taken over by ABC Cinemas until its closure in 1972. After this is operated as a Mecca bingo hall, which ran right up until 2007.
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