Carlton Cinema, Essex Road

{{Short description|Building in Islington, London, England}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2025}}

File:Essex road carlton 1.jpg

The former Carlton Cinema (and then Mecca Bingo) is an Art deco Grade II* listed building,{{cite web|url=https://historicengland.org.uk/advice/heritage-at-risk/search-register/list-entry/409273|title=Former Mecca Bingo, 161–169, Essex Road N1 – Islington – Historic England|first=Historic|last=England|website=historicengland.org.uk}} located at 161–169 Essex Road, Islington, London. It was completed in 1930 as a cine-variety theatre with a capacity of 2,226 seats.

Architect George Coles decided for an Egyptian style facade dressed in multi-coloured Hathernware tiles. The discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb in November 1922 influenced the Art Deco style and the buildings erected in that period,{{cite web|url=https://lookup.london/carlton-cinema/|title=Carlton Cinema|date=26 December 2015|publisher=Look Up London}} particularly cinemas and theatres.

Inside, the building is mainly Empire style, with Egyptian decorations in the foyer, while the auditorium has a French Renaissance style.

The Carlton Cinema was taken over by Associated British Cinemas Ltd. (ABC) in February 1935. It was renamed ABC in 1962. Then it was the Carlton cinema during the 60's which for the younger generation meant Saturday morning pictures.

The building was then converted into a bingo hall{{cite web|url=https://londonist.com/london/history/london-s-lost-cinemas|title=These London Buildings All Used To Be Cinemas|date=26 January 2017|publisher=Londonist}} which continued for almost 35 years as the Mecca Bingo Club, until closing in March 2007.{{cite web|url=http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/15111|title=ABC Islington in London, GB – Cinema Treasures|website=cinematreasures.org}}

It was purchased by an evangelical Christian church Resurrection Manifestations in 2013, who planned to partially reopen it as a cinema, also converting the former café area into a second screen. It was reopened in 2015 as Gracepoint, a 900 capacity venue available for hire and an active church.{{cite news |last1=Dean |first1=Jon |title=Iconic Islington building restored to former glory |url=https://www.islingtongazette.co.uk/lifestyle/iconic-islington-building-restored-to-former-glory-3733342 |access-date=5 November 2021 |publisher=Islington Gazette |date=31 March 2015}}

The façade and foyer of the building appear as the Roxy Cinema in episode 2 series 5 of Endeavour, titled Cartouche.