JBL VTX A Series powers new chapter for newly restored Soho Theatre Walthamstow

The newly restored Soho Theatre Walthamstow has opened its doors with a cutting-edge JBL VTX A Series sound system, marking the culmination of a remarkable journey from dereliction to world-class entertainment venue. The 960-seat theatre, housed in the stunningly restored 1930s former Granada Cinema, represents one of London's most significant cultural restoration projects.

Soho Theatre Walthamstow occupies a building steeped in entertainment history. Originally opened in 1930 as the Granada Cinema, the venue was designed by architect Cecil Masey with extraordinary Moorish-influenced interiors by Theodore Komisarjevsky, inspired by the Alhambra Palace in Granada, Spain. During its golden era from the 1950s to 1970s, the venue hosted legendary performers including The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Dusty Springfield, Roy Orbison, and Duke Ellington.

After closing as a cinema in 2003, the Grade II* listed building faced an uncertain future. A passionate decade-long campaign by local residents, led by groups including the McGuffin Film Society and Save Walthamstow Cinema, ultimately secured its preservation for entertainment use. In 2019, Waltham Forest Council, in partnership with Soho Theatre, purchased the building as part of the council's London Borough of Culture legacy commitment.

The restoration project, completed by Willmott Dixon Interiors with design input from Pilbrow & Partners and Bond Bryan Architects, embraced a philosophy of "arrested decay" – preserving the building's historical layers while integrating modern technical capabilities. The result is a venue that honours its past while providing state-of-the-art facilities for contemporary performance.

LSI Projects was appointed by main contractor Willmott Dixon Interiors following a competitive tender in 2021 to deliver the venue’s specialist theatre systems as specified by Theatre Projects Consultants. LSI’s remit covered the complete ELV infrastructure for the production lighting and sound & communications packages, including data, fibre, audio, video, RF and loudspeaker tielines from custom facility panels throughout the building to multiple rack rooms.

"We are incredibly proud of how the Soho Walthamstow project has turned out," commented Stuart Dingwall, Business Development Manager, LSI Projects. "Our relationships with the consultants, main contractor, M&E contractors and the client has been very enjoyable throughout, and the positive reactions from those who have visited or worked within the venue are very rewarding to hear."

The installation timeline stretched from summer 2023 through to completion in November 2024, with LSI Projects adapting to the complexities inherent in renovating a building that had stood empty for over two decades.

Alongside the physical challenges, fluctuating equipment availability and pricing during the pandemic recovery period posed a significant concern. However, with the benefit of inventory held in stock in the UK by exclusive JBL distributor Live Technology, LSI Projects were able to secure the equipment and maintain cost certainty.

Pablo Riñón-Caballero, Senior Consultant at Theatre Project, adds, “I’d noticed that the Islington Assembly Hall in London sound system had been replaced with a JBL system, and the overall sound quality, in my opinion, had improved significantly. I started enquiring about the system and later had the opportunity to attend a demo at Live Technology.”

Around the same time, the work on the Walthamstow renovation project was beginning, and the idea of proposing a JBL VTX system started to take shape.

“From my perspective, it offered an excellent balance of sound quality, performance, and scalability, enabling the venue to meet the project brief without the need for a reduced or value-engineered design to stay within budget. To me, it was clear, the VTX A8 was a perfect match for this venue.”

"The VTX A series systems are great," confirms Stuart Dingwall. "The rigging is superb and the configuration of the DSP within the Crown amps is simplicity itself. Most importantly, it sounds great."

The system design features L-R flown arrays comprising 8 x VTX A8 line array elements plus 2 x VTX B18 subwoofers. Front fill is provided by 6 x JBL AC18 speakers. All are powered by Crown IT4x3500HD amplifiers. On stage monitoring is provided by 4 x PRX812 active loudspeakers.