The Grosvenor Casino chain is one of the most dominant in London with sites all over the capital. The Grosvenor Piccadilly is also known as The Rialto, on account of the fact that it exists within the space that used to be occupied by the Rialto Theatre on Coventry Street. Having taken it over, Grosvenor has worked hard to ensure that some of the touches of the building’s origin remain in place, including the introduction of the Backstage Bar, which promises light bites and drinks all night. Obviously you can still play all of the usual casino games that you’d expect to, but it is the casino’s illustrious past that offers a big appeal to many.
A Casino with a Past
The Rialto opened in 1913 as a West End Cinema Theatre. It was opened by Prince and Princess Alexander of Teck, with the opening night involving the showing of a film of the Royals arriving to cheering crowds just a few hours earlier. Designed in the French Renaissance style and costing around £130,000 to built and fit out, it was re-named to the Rialto Theatre in 1924. The cinema closed in 1982 when the lease expired, with the building remaining empty for numerous years. The Rialto Cinema Trust was formed in 1994, with the aim being to save it from re-development and try to restore it to its former glory.
In spite of the Trust’s aims, the cinema remained closed for a number of years until it was eventually converted into a Fashion Café and then a Chicago Rock Café. It was taken over by Grosvenor Casinos, who converted it into the casino that it is today, with the company working hard to ensure that its history is respected rather than forgotten. In 2019, for example, the company looked to pay tribute to the stars of the silver screen with circus and burlesque nights. There were also sing-along shows on offer, all done to entice people into the casino in the hope that they might then decide to place a few bets or return in the future.
Personality Is Everywhere
What Grosvenor have done really well with the Casino in Piccadilly is ensure that the building’s personality shines through. When you enter, there are pictures of old move stars and directors on the walls, whilst the main gaming floor still has old movies showing on a big screen above the bar. Obviously the fact that it is a casino is still obvious, with the likes of roulette wheels and slot machines taking up plenty of space. Look around, though, and you’ll see the Edwardian nature of the building everywhere you look. There are sweeping staircases that take you up to a mezzanine floor overlooking everything, for example.
Backstage Bar
Perhaps the best example of the manner in which the Rialto looks to maintain the links to the building’s past is with the Backstage Bar. Offering comfy seating and memorabilia from the movies, this is where you’ll want to head to if you fancy a drink or a light snack. There are plenty of slot machines in the upstairs area of the casino, but the Backstage Bar is empty of any references to the fact that you’re in a casino. In fact, the only machine there is one offering popcorn, so you can’t go far without being reminded that this was a cinema at one point. Yes, you’ll want to place plenty of bets here, but soaking up the atmosphere is just as fun.