ABC Cinema, Brighton

The ABC Cinema (originally the Savoy Cinema Theatre) is a former cinema in Brighton, part of the English seaside city of Brighton and Hove. It also operated under the Cannon and Virgin brands briefly in the 1980s and 1990s. It was built in 1930, initially for Savoy Cinemas; but when that group became part of the new Associated British Cinemas (ABC) circuit later that year, it was redesigned by ABC's own architect William R. Glen and became the group's first major cinema. It was also the second-largest ABC ever built, and the largest cinema in Brighton based on seating capacity. Prominently sited, with a tall, curving entrance façade on East Street in The Lanes and another entrance on the Grand Junction Road facing the seafront and Palace Pier, it was one of Brighton's most important cinemas for much of the 20th century and was chosen as the venue for the world premiere of Brighton Rock in 1948. After closure in January 2000 the building was split up; part is now a casino, another section is a bar, and a restaurant formerly occupied another section. The building is on Brighton and Hove City Council's local list of heritage assets.