Premises license sought for the Savoy Cinema, 15 Stoke Newington Road
The Savoy Cinema opened on 26th October 1936 and screened its last film in 1984. Since then the foyer has been converted into shops and the main auditorium – comprising stalls, balcony and stage – has been divided up to create various licensed venues, including a Turkish community centre, the Epic function room and the notorious Efes snooker hall.
The creator and owner of Village Underground in Shoreditch, Auro Foxcroft, is taking on a long lease of the whole building (excluding shop units) from which to operate the Hackney Arts Centre, with a view to restoring the art deco interior to reinstate a single venue. In the meantime it is proposed to operate the three existing venues under one license for plays, films, indoor sporting events, live music, recorded music, performance of dance, anything of similar description, late night refreshment and supply of alcohol for on sales, during the following hours:
Restaurant/ cafe/ bar (within the old Efes venue) from 10:00 to 00:00 Sun to Wed and 10:00 to 01:00am Thurs to Sat.
The current licence for Efes includes the supply of alcohol from 12.00 to 00.00 Sun to Wed and 12.00 to 0100 Thu to Sat, so this constitutes a couple of extra morning hours.
Event Space (the existing Epic) from 10:00 to 00:00 Mon to Wed, 10:00 to 02:00am Thurs to Sat and 10:00 to 22:30 Sun. The existing license for the Magnolia Banqueting Hall/ Epic has an exactly comparable alcohol licence.
Theatre (currently not used) 10:00 to 00:00 Mon to Sun
The successful operation of the Restaurant and Event Space, will serve to fund the restoration and re-opening of the Theatre, which will be located on the balcony level of the original cinema. The Event Space will be run as a mixed arts venue, focussing on international music, and the Theatre will host performing arts, music, comedy, film and talks and debates.
The owner of the business, Auro Foxcroft, is aware of the difficulties of operating within a residential area and is proposing a ‘comprehensive package of management procedures to ensure we operate professionally and sympathetically alongside local residents’. The organisation is an active member of Pubwatch and contributes to the local wardens scheme.
Auro is available for any further consultation that Rio Cross members may want throughout the application process and is proposing public consultation days for local residents, businesses and stakeholders. More detail will be made available through the Rio Cross Residents Association.
Image: cinematreasures.org
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