These are listed by street. Each cinema location has a potted history.

225 London Road. Broad Green: Savoy/ABC/Canon/Safari cinemas
1936 Savoy by WR Glen opened at 225 London Road. Broad Green.




1953 Savoy. Broad Green, destroyed by fire & rebuilt.
1958 Savoy. Broad Green, rebuilt as ABC.
196* PJ Proby played ABC and infamously split his trousers
1986 ABC. Broad Green, renamed Canon cinema.
199? Canon cinema, Broad Green, renamed Safari Cinema.
2004 Safari Cinema, Broad Green, closed.
2005 Safari Cinema, Broad Green, demolished.

? Station Road: Station Picture Hall cinema
1908 Croydon’s first cinema was Station Picture Hall on Station Road
It was converted from a shop (the building on the left with the large arched windows on the first floor ), in 1917
1917 Station Picture Hall closed

16-18 North End: Scala cinema
1914 Scala opened at 16-18 North End.
1921 David Lean saw his first film at Scala aged 13.
1952 Scala at 16-8 North End closed. Site incorporated into Allders

94 North End: Theatre Royal/New Theatre Royal/Croydon Hippodrome Theatre
1800 Theatre Royal opened at 94 North End
1898 Theatre Royal, 94 North End, renamed New Theatre Royal (then Croydon Hippodrome Theatre)
1906 Croydon Hippodrome Theatre at 94 North End rebuilt (by Sprague) as Empire Theatre of Varieties
1930 Empire Theatre, 94 North End, became a full-time cinema.
1953 Empire Theatre at 94 North End became Eros Cinema.
1959 Eros Cinema, 94 North End closed (site now an entrance to Whitgift)

108 North End: Electric Theatre cinema
1909 Electric Theatre opened at 108 North End
1928 Electric Theatre, 108 North End, rebuilt as the Picture House (1,280 seats)
1936 Picture House, 108 North End, renamed Odeon (1948 photo below).



1985 Croydon Odeon, 108 North End, closed. Became part of Whitgift. Foyer became a shop.

127 North End: Prince’s Picture House
1921 Prince’s Picture House opened with a dome (still extant).
1941 Prince’s, 127 North End, became Palais Ballroom .

? North End: National Palace of Varieties/Palace Theatre/Circus/Empire cinemas
1895 National Palace of Varieties opened at * North End
(then Palace Theatre, Circus & Empire - closed
1956 Closed
1959 Demolished

73 High Street: Davis Picture Theatre
1928 Davis Picture Theatre opened at 73 High Street (3,700 seats). Largest cinemas in England)



1959 Davis Picture Theatre, 73 High Street, demolished. Site is occupied by Davis House.

125 High Street: Grand Theatre and Opera House
1896 Grand Theatre and Opera House opened at 125 High Street



1957 Grand Theatre, 125 High Street. closed

1 Surrey Street: ?/ (old) Palladium
? Opened at ?
1930 Palladium at 1 Surrey Street closed

? Surrey Street: Orpheum/Cinema Royal/New Palladium cinemas
1914 Orpheum opened by Scarbrook Road?
1920s David Lean visited cinema in his teens. UL David Lean TO David Lean Guide
1925 Orpheum renamed Cinema Royal
1930 Cinema Royal, ? Surrey Street, became New Palladium
1956 New Palladium. ? Surrey Street, closed. 6 storey office block Surrey House built on the site.

3 Brighton Road: Swan Electric Theatre/ Savoy/Classic cinemas
1910 Swan Electric Theatre opened at 3 Brighton Road later renamed Savoy in 1933.
1934 Savoy, 3 Brighton Road, became Classic Cinema.
1973 Classic Cinema, 3 Brighton Road, closed.

Booklist
Croydon Cinemas - Allen Ayles (History Press 2006)

NB The dirctore David Lean saw his first films at the Scala, North End (saw his first film there in 1921- Hound of the Bakervilles). Orpheum. * Surrey Street & Palladium, 1 Surrey Street.