By /

London Borough of Waltham Forest
Soho Theatre Walthamstow

Refurbishment. alteration and extension to create a new multi-purpose performance venue, Soho Theatre Walthamstow

Project Stats

Duration

weeks
0

Value

£ 0 m

Size

sq ft
0

Sector

Leisure

Project Story

Project Brief

We are proud to be working in partnership with London Borough of Waltham Forest to deliver the £26m refurbishment of Walthamstow’s Grade II* listed former EMD Cinema into a multi-purpose entertainment venue and cultural hub, Soho Theatre Walthamstow. The project was procured via the Procurement Hub framework.

At the point Willmott Dixon Interiors commenced work on this historic building, it was on the Theatres at Risk Register. Due to the archaeological and architectural significance of the building, great care and attention has been given from the outset.  During the planning stages of the project, a considerable amount of recording was carried out by London Borough of Waltham Forest, Historic England and from the original Architect for the project. Assessments have been carried out to identify and separate the building into areas of significance. Photographic records were also taken and salvage strategies documents have been produced.

This once derelict building will be transformed and will become the hub for live entertainment within the heart of Walthamstow.

Project Solution

The transformation of this building has all been undertaken with close consultation and collaboration with London Borough of Waltham Forest’s Conservation officer, Historic England and our internal Design Team. We have used a range of digital systems including 3D surveys and cloud point surveys to record ornate ceilings and wall finishes, so once covered and adapted with the new design, all information has been accurately recorded. BIM / Dalux construction management software systems have enabled us to preserve the records for long-term survival, which has been well received by all parties.

The transformation of this building will ultimately deliver a 1000 seat live performance venue with restaurant, cafe and bar areas. Furthermore, many historic features such as the Ziggurat ceiling and heritage arches originally design by Architect Cecil Masey will be fully restored, for visitors to enjoy for generations to come.

Project Outline

On completion, all heritage features of the Grade II* listed building will be fully restored. This will provide:

  • Bringing a derelict building in the heart of Walthamstow back to contemporary standards.
  • A lively historic entertainment space, with modern facilities.
  • Significant energy efficiencies from the installed voltaic solar panels and new energy efficient façade.
  • Three new office spaces.
  • This theatre has now been removed from the ‘Theatres At Risk’ register
Artist impression of Soho Theatre Walthamstow.
Crittle Windows
Inside the Theatre

Related News

Amazon Prime’s ‘Unsigned’: how we volunteered to transform a venue for future music stars

Willmott Dixon Interiors delivering £12m roof works at National Maritime Museum

Willmott Dixon Interiors chosen for Brent Civic Centre refurbishment

Video Stories

Project Team

Simon Wilson

Operations Director
Email
LinkedIn

Consultant Team

Project Manager: London Borough of Waltham Forest
Architect: Bond Bryan
Quantity Surveyor: Aecom
Services Engineer: GDM Partnerships

Related Case Studies

One YMCA

The Amelia Scott Building

The Halls Wolverhampton

Rugby Football Union Twickenham Stadium

Design Museum

One Gallery Project

London Borough of Waltham Forest

Brent Council Civic Centre
Back to Case Studies

Contact us

Like what you see? Want to work with our amazing team? Contact us today

GET IN TOUCH

Linkedin
Phone-alt
Envelope

Joe Gallagher

With 19 years of experience and over 500,000 square ft of CAT B office fit-outs delivered in London’s most prestigious locations, Joe Gallagher is our CAT B fit-out project lead. His portfolio reflects over £110 million worth of commercial office fit-outs for customers ranging from banks, media brands, and tech companies to developers and management consultants.

Why we do it

By keeping buildings alive, we preserve their history while ensuring they remain relevant, sustainable, and functional in a changing world. Our work is about more than just refurbishment—it’s about creating spaces that inspire, support communities, and provide lasting value.

Let’s work together to transform spaces, ensuring they stand the test of time while meeting the needs of today and the future.

How we do it

A heritage of trust and reliability: With over 172 years of success, Willmott Dixon Interiors is part of one of the UK’s most established construction companies. Our long-standing reputation means you can trust us to deliver with the highest standards of quality, and that you are partnering with a company that is secure and dependable, especially in an industry where financial stability is crucial for project success.

Transparent and reliable project management: We prioritise on-time and within-budget delivery. Our clear communication and proactive approach ensure that you stay informed throughout the project, giving you peace of mind from start to finish.

End-to-end project management: From feasibility studies to design and delivery, our expertise ensures projects run smoothly, on time, and within budget.

Expert procurement support: We simplify the tender process and guide customers through procurement frameworks, ensuring compliance and efficiency.

Sustainability-focused solutions: With a dedicated in-house team, we align every project with our ambitious sustainability goals, minimising waste and integrating energy-efficient solutions.

 

What we do

We specialise in the fit-out and refurbishment of buildings across multiple sectors, from offices and healthcare facilities to hotels, retail, and secure environments. Whether it’s breathing new life into a heritage building, modernising commercial spaces, or ensuring critical environments remain fully operational during works, we are committed to delivering projects with precision and care.

Key areas of focus:

A trusted team and supply chain: Our people are what make us stand out. From project managers to site teams, we bring a wealth of experience and a proactive approach to every project. We also support our supply chain partners with a 28-day payment term and a commitment to fair treatment, ensuring high-quality materials and timely execution.

Seamless design and build delivery: If required, our integrated design and build services streamline the process from RIBA Stage 2 or 3 to completion, saving you time and effort.

Live environment expertise: We excel in delivering projects in occupied and secure environments with minimal disruption, ensuring business continuity and safety.

Long-Term partnerships: We believe in building relationships based on trust, performance, and transparent communication, ensuring every project we deliver contributes to your ongoing success. Many of our customers return to us time and time again, a testament to our commitment to quality and service.

Attention to detail: From appointment to final handover, we focus on creating environments that not only meet but exceed expectations. Our rigorous quality assurance processes ensure every element of a project is delivered with precision.

Sustainable refurbishments: We pledge to be net-zero operational carbon by 2030 and have a net-zero supply chain by 2040. Our projects focus on energy efficiency, waste reduction, and the use of sustainable materials.

TRUSTED TEAM AND SUPPLY CHAIN

We are supported by a trusted supply chain, guaranteeing the use of high-quality materials, and ensuring timely project execution. Our long-standing relationships allow us to deliver excellence on every project.

ATTENTION TO DETAIL

From our appointment to the final handover, we focus on creating office environments that not only meet but exceed your expectations. Our attention to detail ensures that your space is functional, beautiful, and aligned with your business goals.

SUSTAINABILITY

Our dedicated in-house team ensures that every project aligns with our ambitious sustainability goals. As a business, we are committed to achieving a net-zero status by 2030, and we hold ourselves accountable at every stage of our operations. From minimising waste through innovative recycling programs to selecting sustainable materials and incorporating energy-efficient practices, we focus on reducing environmental impact.

COMMITMENT TO LONG-TERM PARTNERSHIPS

We believe in building relationships based on trust, performance, and transparent communication. Our goal is to create long term partners, ensuring that every project we deliver contributes to your ongoing success.

SEAMLESS DESIGN AND BUILD DELIVERY

If required our integrated design and build services can streamline the process from RIBA Stage 2 or 3 to completion, saving you time and effort. With in-house design capabilities and relationships with external design partners across all disciplines it gives us full flexibility to develop a tailored approach for each project.

PROVEN EXPERTISE

With extensive experience in the commercial fit-out market, we understand how to deliver projects that meet your unique needs. Our team has completed a wide range of traditional and design & build, high-quality fit-outs across multiple sectors.

TRANSPARENT AND RELIABLE PROJECT MANAGEMENT

We prioritise on-time and within-budget delivery. Our clear communication and proactive approach ensure that you stay informed throughout the project, giving you peace of mind from start to finish.

A HERITAGE OF TRUST AND RELIABILITY

Backed by over 172 years of success, Willmott Dixon Interiors is part of one of the UK’s most established construction companies. Our long-standing reputation means you can trust us to deliver with the highest standards of quality, and that you are partnering with a company that is secure and dependable, especially in an industry where financial stability is crucial for project success.

Learning and Development

We believe continued learning and development is crucial to our team’s everyday needs. Our internal L&D system, Willmott Dixon University, supports a wide range of courses for all of our people to ensure they are best-equipped to perform well in their job roles.

We are able to offer unlimited opportunities to those with the ambition to take their career to the next level and work in a stimulating environment. By offering 4 levels of management development programmes, we are able to provide the skills you need to help reach your potential.

Professional Qualifications

We believe that our teams should continue to have ongoing development both in and out of construction and are committed to assisting them in becoming qualified within a professional qualification of their choice.

Management Development

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.

Technical Apprentice Programme

Apprenticeships are a great route into construction. At Willmott Dixon, apprenticeships are available in our business support teams and also through our supply chain partners or our sister company, Fortem, in trade disciplines such as bricklaying.

We offer some entry level positions for those who are looking to take their first steps into construction. With a paid apprenticeship you will earn while you learn and obtain a Level 3 qualification. You can apply following GCSEs; you don’t to have a construction background to complete an apprenticeship.

Work Experience

We are supported by a trusted supply chain, guaranteeing the use of high-quality materials, and ensuring timely project execution. Our long-standing relationships allow us to deliver excellence on every project.

Loyalty Rewards

After five years with us, you’ll join our 5-9 Year Club and celebrate annually with the other members. After reaching 10 years, you will join the prestigious Willmott Dixon 10 Year Club and celebrate along with Rick Willmott.

Private Health Care

We value your health care and wellbeing and that is why we offer free or discounted private health care that will avoid you NHS long waiting lists.

Salary and Profit Share

At Willmott Dixon Interiors we are proud of our people and sincerely believe that our success depends on them and their skills. We reflect our gratitude in the highly competitive salary we offer and review every year. In addition, we will thank you for your hard work with the percentage of our annual profit (subject to certain criteria) to the scope of reflecting our ‘one team’ nature.

Flexible Working & More

The best is yet to come! We give you a day off for your birthday (without using your holiday entitlement), early leave every Friday, dress down Friday once a month, Summer and Christmas events, and more. We have ambitions to be an employer of choice for those who either want to or need to work in a flexible and agile way. Experience it all when joining our team, we are looking forward to getting to know you.

Pension and Life Assurance

We strongly value your future and want to help you save for it, that is why we will contribute by 6% of your pension and you will be protected by Willmott Dixon Interiors Life Assurance Scheme (more details to come when joining).

Holidays

We commit everyday to promoting a healthy work/life balance that matches a competitive holiday allowance, the longer you stay the more you get. 

If the holidays allowance isn’t enough, you can take advantage of buying extra holiday entitlement each year.