If the rumoured cinema at Bell Green is Cineworld, they own the Picturehouse group, so any multiplex would complement what they'd puit on in Forest Hill.

Personally, I don't think it'll be Odeon who have a cinema in Beckenham, which leaves Cineworld and Vue.

I don't think there is going to be a cinema at Bell Green. The development behind the retail park is warehouse and trade counters. Behind that is the river, so I don't know where a cinema would go!

I've always been in favour of a cinema in Bell Green, but I don't think there would be space in the development as it is. You can see the layout at http://www.completelyretail.co.uk/media/...hure_6.pdf
which I found from http://dtz.completelyretail.co.uk/index....y&id=36053

I used to think that this would be a good location for a cinema (plenty of car parking), but I can see that the Capitol would be a much better place to put a cinema (plenty of parking and major transport links).

Could someone clarify please: is there evidence to suggest the Capitol is turning into a cinema, or just a general hope that it will? Thanks.

I've heard a similar rumor my self.
wonderful thing rumors. Easier to spread than strawberry jam.

No evidence at all Jane_D, just wild speculation I'm afraid...

It's not exactly 'wild speculation' if the OP is correct and the source is Weatherspoons staff themselves. It's still a rumour, granted, but from a source that has some credibility. It hasn't been plucked out of thin air (like the rumour of a cinema in Bell Green).

I have spoken to the manager of the capitol and he did not confirm anything about a cinema coming.

I am absolutely gutted that the pub is closing. And despite some negative comments in this forum, I am sure a lot of other people are too.

Obviously the manager cannot confirm it as no contracts have been signed yet.

Yet he has told his staff of a pending (but unconfirmed closure) and several of them have been allocated jobs in other Wetherspoons pubs.

And there are lots of terrible snobs around who would rather pay £4+ a pint and £10+ for a burger than deign to go to Wetherspoons who offer good beer and reasonable food for a very good price.

And I am the original poster and I would hate The Capitol to close as I have had very many enjoyable evenings there and met very many new friends.

When my family and friends came to FH I took them to the Capitol and they loved it.

A few friends and myself are planning a big farewell evening and we will be taking lots of pictures, as whoever is taking over is probably going to pull up walls and mess about... esp. in the case of a multiscreen.

Clearly, there are other things as well in FH we can show our friends and family...

This is dreadful news.

The 'spoons is a great place for a pint and a burger. It's welcoming for kids and I completely disagree with the comments about the atmosphere in there. You go in on a Friday night and there are always loads of people.

A cinema is a nice idea but I'm not convinced it will ever happen.

I've also heard there is going to be a Morrisons built at Bell Green, more rumours. With regard to a multi-screen cinema at the Capitol I don't think that would be allowed as it's a listed building/

At the risk of sounding like a broken record: Odeon. Beckenham. Multiscreen. Listed building.

Bell Green is now fully let. What's there is all we're getting.

I'd welcome a cinema an can't really complain about the Capitol closing as I've been in less than 5 times in the 8 years I've lived in SE23.

As for the atmosphere I found it fine, in fact as a whole I find Wetherspoons have great atmospheres. No music means you can have great conversations with friends - they have often been in my younger going out years a default meeting place for a catch-up all on reasonably priced drinks. What's not to like?

Re bell green cinema - From looking here: http://dtz.completelyretail.co.uk/index....me&id=6273 I understood that bell green still have substantial space to let, but very unlikely that the layout in its current format would suit a cinema.

Re the Capitol I would have honestly thought the economics of turning it back into a cinema make it unlikely. Personally wouldn't miss the Capitol as a pub, just not my taste, but would hate to see a big empty building in the high street. Remember blockbuster site being empty for so long and kirk dales appearance [/b]suffering from the closure of the windmill

Picturehouse is to run it as a cinema with some theatre performances with 2 screens and a bar with tapas and small plates aka the Electric Cinema in Notting Hill, with a mix of mainstream and art house pictures being shown. The cinema will be restored to it's former glory and be accessible for all with occasional bingo nights and 'back in the day' nights when they do classic film screenings for the price of the film when it was released 'back in the day'.

It will be called 'The Capitol Picturehouse' est 1929.

You heard it here first folks.

Also breaking news, the large spiderweb is going.

What if…

What if… you mean, it was all just a dream??

re Bell Green - the units marked 'to let' on the plans are part of the Trade City development. It's warehouses and trade counters back there. No room for a cinema that I can see.

This was discussed at the Forest Hill ward assembly yesterday. Cllr Paul Upex said that he had asked Wetherspoons whether the Capitol was indeed going to close and had asked Picturehouse Cinemas (owned by Cineworld) whether they had plans to lease the building for use as a cinema. Both had given firm 'no comment/cannot confirm or deny' responses.

But Sydenhamcentral is obviously (as usual) ahead of the game!

This post was last modified: 14-07-2014 10:43 AM by robin orton.

As the original poster I did have good sources, pub manager telling the staff it was going to close and become a cinema in 3-6 weeks, and so thought it was 99% likely happen. Especially as most of the staff were offered jobs in other pubs.

I would now estimate the likelihood at about 90% as things seemed to have slowed down at the negotiation stage.

However, here is some completely unfounded "heard it in the pub" gossip - Wetherspoons will take over the ex-Harvester Grove Tavern.

Has anybody else heard this rumour?

I think I asked some of the staff on Friday night about the rumour, but I honestly can't recall the answer as I was too drunk