TQ1280 : Palace Shopping Centre, Southall
taken 12 years ago, near to Southall, Ealing, England
This is the only known UK example of a cinema in the Chinese style.
Designed by George Cole, it opened in 1928 as the Godeon, on the site of an earlier cinema, and ended its first life as a cinema in 1978, by then known as the Liberty. It was then converted into a market hall, but by the 90s was out of use and becoming derelict. It was then purchased by a local businessman, Mr. Surjit Phander, who resurrected it as a cinema, showing Bollywood movies for the local Asian populace. With the help of a grant from English Heritage - the building had been listed as early as 1974 - it reopened in 2001.
The rise of DVDs meant that it again became uneconomic as a cinema, and closed again in 2010. It has now again been converted into a shopping mall, with the auditorium walls and ceiling beautifully refurbished. The exterior ceramic work remains in fine condition, with very little evidence of change or damage. Listed Grade II*.
Listed buildings and structures are officially designated as being of special architectural, historical or cultural significance. There are over half a million listed structures in the United Kingdom, covered by around 375,000 listings.
Listed status is more commonly associated with buildings or groups of buildings, however it can cover many other structures, including bridges, headstones, steps, ponds, monuments, walls, phone boxes, wrecks, parks, and heritage sites, and in more recent times a road crossing (Abbey Road) and graffiti art (Banksy 'Spy-booth') have been included.
In England and Wales there are three main listing designations;
Grade I (2.5%) - exceptional interest, sometimes considered to be internationally important.
Grade II* (5.5%) - particularly important buildings of more than special interest.
Grade II (92%) - nationally important and of special interest.
There are also locally listed structures (at the discretion of local authorities) using A, B and C designations.
In Scotland three classifications are also used but the criteria are different. There are around 47,500 Listed buildings.
Category A (8%)- generally equivalent to Grade I and II* in England and Wales
Category B (51%)- this appears generally to cover the ground of Grade II, recognising national importance.
Category C (41%)- buildings of local importance, probably with some overlap with English Grade II.
In Northern Ireland the criteria are similar to Scotland, but the classifications are:
Grade A (2.3%)
Grade B+ (4.7%)
Grade B (93%)
Read more at Wikipedia Link