State Cinema

The State Cinema on Clarence Road is one of Grays' most distinctive buildings — a Grade II* listed Art Deco cinema dating from 1938, with a curving frontage and bold lettering that makes it stand out on an otherwise unremarkable High Street. It is no longer operating as a cinema, but the exterior is well preserved and gives a good sense of what the great suburban picture palaces of the late 1930s looked like.

The building is significant enough to warrant a dedicated Historic England listing and has appeared in various surveys of endangered Art Deco heritage. Its future has been uncertain for years, with various proposals for restoration or conversion coming and going. Worth a look even if the interior is not accessible.

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A story
The State Cinema opened in 1938, designed in a streamlined Art Deco style with a distinctive curved facade. It was built to seat 1,600 people and was one of the grandest cinemas in Essex. It closed as a cinema in 1981 and has since been used variously as a bingo hall and nightclub, though the exterior remains largely intact and Grade II* listed — among the most significant Art Deco buildings in the county.