Empire Haymarket

The Carlton Theatre, later known as the Empire Haymarket, stood in the heart of Westminster on Haymarket. Designed by Frank Verity and Sam Beverley in Italian and Spanish Renaissance style, it opened in 1927 with the musical *Lady Luck* by Firth Shephard, starring Laddie Cliff. Originally built for Paramount Pictures, it began as a dual-purpose theatre-cinema with seating for 1,150. The building replaced Anglesea Yard, a former coaching inn on the same site. In 1929 it was wired for sound and soon focused on cinema screenings. By 1933 it hosted Noël Coward’s *Bitter Sweet*, showing its versatility across stage and screen. The theatre’s history reflects the changing face of London’s entertainment industry. After Paramount’s ownership ended in 1954, Twentieth Century Fox took over as operator, using it to showcase CinemaScope films. Fox withdrew in 1977, and the building was later divided into three screens under Classic Cinemas. It passed through several owners—Cannon, MGM, Virgin, UGC and Cineworld—before Empire Cinemas acquired it in 2017. The cinema closed permanently in May 2023 after nearly a century of operation. Inside, the Empire Haymarket retained elements of its grand auditorium despite multiple conversions. The ornate Italian and Spanish Renaissance detailing framed the screen, and the divided screens allowed smaller, modernised spaces within the original shell. Though no longer open, the building remains Grade II listed, recognised for its architectural and cultural significance. Its location on Haymarket places it near other historic theatres and cinemas, a reminder of London’s long tradition of live performance and film. The site now stands empty, a quiet monument to a vanished era of entertainment.