State Cinema

The State Cinema is a Grade II* Listed building in Grays, Essex. Designed by F. G. M. Chancellor under Matcham & Co., it opened in 1938 as one of the most modern cinemas of its type at the time with seating for 2200 people. As a cinema, it closed in 1988 but has held numerous events and been used for various purposes since. Historic England describe the cinema as being "one of the best preserved of the super cinemas of the late 1930s." In recent years, the building has been vandalised and pilfered from and has suffered water damage from a failing roof system. Its decay was so bad that it was entered onto Historic England's Heritage at Risk Register on which it was assessed as being "very bad". The building was bought by Wetherspoons in 2018 for conversion to public house. Works commenced in 2019 but stalled in 2020. The building has been put up for sale by Wetherspoons as of October 2022. The building was sold pre-auction in May 2023 to London-based businessman Naveed Ahmad via his property development company London Developments Global for an undisclosed amount. London Developments Global is now commencing repairs on the roof only after the council have ordered them to, after the company neglected it for nearly 2 years.