The newly restored Soho Theatre Walthamstow in London has opened its doors with a new JBL VTX A Series sound system, marking the culmination of a journey from dereliction to world-class entertainment venue.
The 960-seat theatre is housed in the restored 1930s former Granada Cinema. Originally opened in 1930 as the Granada Cinema, the venue was designed by architect Cecil Masey with Moorish-influenced interiors by Theodore Komisarjevsky, inspired by the Alhambra Palace in Granada, Spain. During its golden era from the 1950s to 1970s, the venue hosted The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Dusty Springfield, Roy Orbison, and Duke Ellington.
After closing as a cinema in 2003, the Grade II* listed building faced an uncertain future. A passionate decade-long campaign by local residents, led by groups including the McGuffin Film Society and Save Walthamstow Cinema, ultimately secured its preservation for entertainment use. In 2019, Waltham Forest Council, in partnership with Soho Theatre, purchased the building as part of the council's London Borough of Culture legacy commitment.
The restoration project, completed by Willmott Dixon Interiors with design input from Pilbrow & Partners and Bond Bryan Architects, embraced a philosophy of "arrested decay" – preserving the building's historical layers while integrating modern technical capabilities. The result is a venue that honours its past while providing state-of-the-art facilities for contemporary performance.
LSI Projects was appointed by main contractor Willmott Dixon Interiors following a competitive tender in 2021 to deliver the venue’s specialist theatre systems as specified by Theatre Projects Consultants. LSI’s remit covered the complete ELV infrastructure for the production lighting and sound & communications packages, including data, fibre, audio, video, RF and loudspeaker tielines from custom facility panels throughout the building to multiple rack rooms.
The installation timeline stretched from summer 2023 through to completion in November 2024, with LSI Projects adapting to the complexities inherent in renovating a building that had stood empty for over two decades.
Alongside the physical challenges, fluctuating equipment availability and pricing during the pandemic recovery period posed a significant concern. However, with the benefit of inventory held in stock in the UK by exclusive JBL distributor Live Technology, LSI Projects were able to secure the equipment and maintain cost certainty.
The system design features L-R flown arrays comprising 8 x VTX A8 line array elements plus 2 x VTX B18 subwoofers. Front fill is provided by 6 x JBL AC18 speakers. All are powered by Crown IT4x3500HD amplifiers. On stage monitoring is provided by 4 x PRX812 active loudspeakers.
The venue has further benefitted from JBL’s portable PA portfolio, subsequently investing in four battery-powered JBL EON One mkII systems that serve as versatile utility speakers across the theatre, from the bar to foyer events.
The installation was supported by teams from Harman Professional and exclusive UK distributor Live Technology, with Dingwall particularly praising their assistance from initial JBL LAC (Line Array Calculator) designs through to the implementation of JBL’s new Venue Synthesis software that became available during the project's completion phase.