The Imperial Theatre, 134 North Street, Brighton

Later - The Essoldo Cinema / Essoldo Bingo Club

Brighton's Theatres Index

Above - The North Street Entrance to the Imperial Theatre, Brighton - From The Builder, 19th of April 1940.

The Imperial Theatre was situated on North Street, Brighton and was constructed at a cost of £20,000 to the designs of the architect S. Beverley with interior decorations by John Alexander. Designed as a Variety Theatre for its owners Jack Buchanan and Ralph Lynn the Theatre's Proscenium opening was 48 feet wide with a large fully equipped stage behind of 40 feet deep. The Auditorium was decorated in the late Art Deco style and seated 1,875 people when it first opened on the 9th of April 1940 with Jack Buchanan and Elsie Randolph in the musical 'Top Hat and Tails'.

Right - A Sketch of the Imperial Theatre, Brighton - From a wartime programme.

The Builder reported on the Imperial theatre in their 19th of April 1940 edition, along with some of the images shown here, saying:- 'This building has been erected for Southern Counties Theatres, Ltd., of which Mr. Ralph Lynn is the Chairman.

The site upon which the theatre stands is one which conforms to a new building line in North-street, defined by the Corporation under an improvement scheme. The façade is a simple treatment of lofty windows over the entrance, forming a bay to the foyers on the upper floors. The general facing of the building is red brick with stone architraves and cornices.

Left - The Entrance Foyer of the Imperial Theatre, Brighton - From The Builder, 19th of April 1940.

The entrance vestibule leads into a large foyer decorated in tones of gold with one wall covered with mirrors. The stalls floor is at street level, and from the foyer stairs give access upwards to the dress circle and upper circle (also to the boxes, which are eleven in number), and downwards to the bar foyer, this being a spacious room situated in the basement beneath the entrance foyer. The stalls have their own saloon and bar, situated beneath the stalls promenade. A similar spacious promenade is provided for the dress circle, which also has a large saloon with attendant foyers and offices. There is also a saloon provided, with a roomy foyer for the upper circle; thus each part of the theatre has adequate retiring spaces and interval promenades.

The fact that the theatre is in a marine locality is reflected in the decoration of the auditorium, where the carpet, fibrous plaster decorations and decorative painting to the proscenium, side walls and ceilings all embody some marine motif. This building is a legitimate theatre, with a stage 40 ft. in depth, and provision has also been made in the equipment for presenting motion pictures. The seating capacity of the theatre is 1,800.

Right - The Auditorium and Stage of the Imperial Theatre, Brighton - From The Builder, 19th of April 1940.

There are ample dressing-rooms and chorus rooms, together with quick-change rooms and other necessary offices, stage carpenters', electricians', musicians' and stage scenery rooms.' The principal dressing rooms have bathrooms attached. The stage is fully and adequately provided with the latest electrical switchgear, counter-weighting, etc., as is also the projection and spotlight room. Sound amplification also plays an important part.

The architect was Mr. S. Beverley, F.R.I.B.A., of Messrs. Frank Verity and S. Beverley, 32, Old Burlington-street, London, W.1. The consulting engineer for the constructional steelwork was Mr. S. W. Budd, M.Inst.C.E., and the quantity surveyor for the adjoining office block (also erected by the same company) was Mr. J. Pritchard Williams, F.S.I.

Above - S. Beverley's Plans of the Imperial Theatre, Brighton - From The Builder, 19th of April 1940.

The general contractors were Messrs. L. F. Richardson, Ltd., of Middleton-on-Sea, Bognor Regis. Sub-contractors and suppliers were: Steelwork, Moreland, Hayne and Co., Ltd.; heating and ventilating, Steel and Co., Ltd.; electrical work, Berkeley Electrical Engineering Co., Ltd.; metal windows, Crittall Manufacturing CO., Ltd...

Right - The Auditorium of the Imperial Theatre, Brighton - From The Builder, 19th of April 1940.

Cast stonework, Blokcrete Co., Ltd.; concrete and reinforcement, British Reinforced Concrete Co., Ltd.; safety curtain, screen, frame, and counter-weighting, Knight and Co. (Engineers), Ltd.; ornamental metalwork, Garton and Thorne, Ltd.; internal telephones, Dictograph Telephones, Ltd.; vacuum cleaning, Lamson Engineering Co.; hydrants and sprinklers, Hoffmann Sprinkler Co.; fibrous plaster, E. G. Payne, Ltd.; decorative painting, London Spray and Brush Painting Co.; tiling and terrazzo, Ramsdens, Ltd.; chairs and carpets, and curtains and stage draperies, H. Lazarus and Sons, Ltd.; projection and sound equipment, R.C.A. Photophone Co., Ltd.; electric light fittings, Best and Lloyd, Ltd.; and mirrors and decorative glass, London Sand Blast Decorative Glass Works, Ltd.'

The above text in quotes was first published in The Builder, 19th of April 1940.

Above - A Google StreetView Image showing the site of the former Imperial Theatre, Brighton in August 2024 - Click to Interact. As can be seen from this image a Sainsbury's Local now occupies the site but a homage to the Imperial Theatre's original Facade can be seen above and stepped back from the present day Facade.

The Imperial Theatre had first opened on the 9th of April 1940 as a Theatre for Live Shows and Film presentations and in 1943, when it was equipped with a Western Electric sound system, it started showing 'Talkies' along with its Live Shows. By 1948 it had gone over to almost exclusive Film use with only the occasional Live Show put on. One of the last of these was a touring show called 'Burlesque' with Marjorie Reynolds and Sonar Colleano along with a young Sid James which ran at the Imperial for two weeks from the 9th of February 1948, see advertisement shown below left.

Right - Six programme covers for the Brighton Imperial Theatre - Click the images for cast details.

In 1949 the Theatre was taken over by the Essoldo Cinema Chain and it went over to full time Cinema use being renamed the Essoldo Cinema in 1950. Essoldo later turned the building over to Bingo in 1964 and then eventually in 1997 it was converted into a Bowling Alley and Night Club called Hotspots. This resulted in one of the two balconies being removed and the auditorium's fine Art Deco Interior being destroyed. The Bowling Alley was very short lived however, and a year and a half later the Theatre was converted into a Nightclub called Jumpin' Jacks.

Left - An Advertisement for one of the last live shows at the Imperial Theatre, Brighton - From the Sussex Express, 6th of February 1948.

Despite the fact that the balcony was removed when the Theatre was converted for Bowling, much of the Theatre still remained and it was hoped that the building could at some point be restored and converted back to its former use. But sadly the Theatre was demolished instead, in 2001, and the site was reconstructed for retail and residential use. A Sainsbury's Local Supermarket occupies the site today.

Jack Hylton and Bram Martin

From the Imperial Theatre Programme for 'High Tide'

Jack Hylton's interests range from shows like "HighTide" to the presentation of Britain's large Musical Festival at the Harringay Arena. Jack has long wanted to present Brighton with a really big musical, and now with every modern facility available to him at the Imperial, he is really "going to town."

In addition to the well-known names in the cast of "High Tide," there are several artistes Mr. Hylton has found and brought into the forefront, because he believes in giving youth a chance.

Left - A programme for 'Florodora' at the Imperial Theatre, Brighton in 1943 - Courtesy Liz Jarrett - Click for details.

Although Jack Hylton works for over 14 hours a day and gives his staff very little rest, he is one of the best loved men in the theatre.

He has recently been described by his friend, Bud Flanagan, as "that lovable fellow who wants everything done two days ago."

In spite of his insatiable love of work, he still finds time for a game of golf, and an occasional day's racing.

The association of Jack Hylton and Bram Martin is no new one, and started 18 years ago. Bram Martin and his Orchestra have been responsible for the music in some of the biggest London shows, such as those by Andre Chariot, the famous Cochran shows at the London Pavilion, with William Mallison and in many other big West End productions.

Right - Coming Attractions for May 1943 - From a programme for 'Florodora' at the Imperial Theatre, Brighton in 1943 - Courtesy Liz Jarrett - Click for details.

His long series of broadcasts before and during the war are also too well-known to be re-capitulated. Bram Martin has under his charge one of the finest and most costly theatre orchestras in the country.

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