Liberty Cinema

LIBERTY CINEMA, SOUTH ROAD

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Overview

Heritage Category:
Listed Building
Grade:
II*
List Entry Number:
1079380
Date first listed:
18-Sept-1980
List Entry Name:
Liberty Cinema
Statutory Address:
LIBERTY CINEMA, SOUTH ROAD
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Date:
2000-06-18
Reference:
IOE01/00026/35
Rights:
© Mr Quiller Barrett. Source: Historic England Archive

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:
Listed Building
Grade:
II*
List Entry Number:
1079380
Date first listed:
18-Sept-1980
List Entry Name:
Liberty Cinema
Statutory Address 1:
LIBERTY CINEMA, SOUTH ROAD

The scope of legal protection for listed buildings

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

The scope of legal protection for listed buildings

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

Location

Statutory Address:
LIBERTY CINEMA, SOUTH ROAD

The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.

County:
Greater London Authority
District:
Ealing (London Borough)
Parish:
Non Civil Parish
National Grid Reference:
TQ 12775 80331

Details

TQ 18 SW
962/1/20
18.09.80

SOUTH ROAD, Southall
Liberty Cinema

II*

Former cinema, later market hall. 1928, an early work by George Coles and the only known example of a cinema built in the Chinese style. Built of brick but street elevation faced with coloured glazed tiles and with red pantiled Pagoda roofs. Two storeys. Central section of five bays has tall windows with geometrical design panes, flanked by triangular pilasters. There are three blank panels above. The pagoda roofs have a band of moulded tiles at the ridge and similar cornice and there are terracotta carp finials. Lower wings have corner pilasters, panels for advertising and similar pagoda roofs with terracotta dragon finials. Reeded band divides floors. Ground floor retains four original panels with console brackets but the canopy has been replaced and the entrance doors altered. The interior remains intact above later inserted ceiling. It comprises Proscenium arch with dragon moulding to corners, geometrical panels, fluted band to top of arch, representing a stylised roof and pilasters. Walls of Auditorium have a Chinoiserie ventilation grille on either side of the Proscenium arch, two similar grilles to the rear wall and two Chinoiserie wall panels resembling trelliswork with floral motifs to the side exits. Eight bay curved sides and seven bay rear wall are divided by pilasters with bracketed Chinese style capitals with floral decoration above. Ceiling is divided into panels by ribs with anthemion motif and square Chinese motif paterae and has two large ventilation grilles similar to the others.The side doors to the auditorium retain Chinese panels. The foyer retains original cornices. The original orchestra pit survives, the original raked floor with bolts to hold seats survives below a later floor and the original concrete staircases with metal handrail survive. This is the only example of a cinema to be built in the Chinese style. The fusion between the Chinese style and the classical style more familiar to the plasterers is most unusual.
[BOE London 3:North West p197.]

Listing NGR: TQ1277580331

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:
201043
Legacy System:
LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Pevsner, N, Cherry, B, The Buildings of England: London 3 North West, (1991), 197

Legal

This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.

Ordnance survey map of Liberty Cinema

Map

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End of official list entry

All text content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 , except where otherwise stated. Any supplied maps are © Crown Copyright [and database rights] 2026 OS AC0000815036 and may not be reproduced without permission.

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