Abandoned And Not Forgotten

The Astoria - Charing Cross Road, originally uploaded by Southern Driver.

The Astoria opened on Wednesday 12th January 1927 as a cinema. On February 28th 1976 the cinema closed, and would not reopen until November 28th 1977, this time as a theatre. In 1984 the theatre was converted into a music venue, where bands from The Rolling Stones to Radiohead would perform.

On October 17th 2008 a Compulsory Purchase Order was served on The Astoria so it can be demolished to make way for a larger station at Tottenham Court Road as part of the Crossrail project.

The end of this iconic music venue came on Wednesday 14th January, 82 years and 2 days after it originally opened, when it played host to a 'Demolishion Ball' after which its doors closed for the last time.