A former theatre in the centre of Stratford could become the latest venue of the music group behind the world famous Jazz Café.
Newham’s Cabinet has accepted a bid by the Columbo Group to buy the art deco Rex Theatre on Stratford High Street.
It says it will turn the venue – which has been empty for over two years - into a Jazz Café East.
The plans signal a huge economic boost of confidence in the area as part of Newham Council’s Stratford Vision and will play a big part in efforts to transform Stratford into London’s newest cultural hub.
Mayor of Newham, Rokhsana Fiaz OBE, said: “Jazz Café East promises to let residents in Newham have world class entertainment on their doorstep.
“It is a show of confidence for the future of the borough, which will bring with it jobs and prosperity.
“Businesses are waking up to see all that the borough and its people have to offer.
“It is vitally important to get the right partners in as part of our Building Newham’s Creative Future cultural strategy which is a big part of our plans for Building a Fairer Newham.”
In a further boost to the area Cabinet will also be told, the Grade II listed North Block of Alice Billing House, has been awarded £2.9m from the National Lottery Heritage Fund to create new affordable artists’ studios.
It follows the success of the work completed on the South Block of the former firefighters’ accommodation, working with cultural partners Creative Land Trust.
The funding will be spent on the refurbishment of the North Block, removing it from Historic England’s At-Risk register and providing a public café, gallery and courtyard space in addition to the new studios.
The Jazz Cafe in Camden Town has hosted a wide variety of artists across jazz, soul, funk, disco, and reggae genres, including Jamiroquai, Amy Winehouse, Gil Scott-Heron, and more.
The take-over would be the latest venture for the former picture palace.
Built in 1896, the Rex was originally used as a theatre and opera house before it closed in 1933 and was converted into a cinema.
After the cinema closed in 1969, it became a bingo hall and later was turned into the Stratford Rex nightclub, before that too closed down.
Newham Council repossessed the building in 2013 but it has been largely vacant apart from its housing company Populo using it as offices between 2017 and 2023, and a café which faced the high street.
You can read the Cabinet report, in full here.
