On Saturday 17th January 2026, KASE Paranormal carried out a full-team investigation at the former Old Havana Cinema and ATIK Nightclub in Romford, Essex. Working across the building’s multiple floors from early evening through to 3am, we documented activity across the base room, main entrance and stairwell, graffiti bar, main dancefloor, and the maintenance room built on the original cinema stage to answer a simple question: is the Old Havana Cinema haunted, and if so, what kind of activity is taking place?

This case study gives a clear, non-sensational overview of how we approached the night, what methods we used, and the most interesting results from one of our most active investigations to date.

Quick Case Overview

Location: Old Havana Cinema / ATIK Nightclub, 108 South Street, Romford, Essex RM1 1SS

Type of site: Former Art Deco cinema (opened 1936) later converted into a nightclub. The building hosted major performers including The Beatles and David Bowie during its cinema years. It operated under several nightclub names from 1999 onwards, most recently as ATIK, before closing in February 2024.

Date: Saturday 17th January 2026

Time: 6:30 PM - 3:00 AM

Team: Dan, Laura, Graham, Lucy, Matt, Jake, Kirstie, Alan

Aim of the investigation:

To carry out a structured investigation across multiple floors of a building with a rich social and emotional history, logging activity and comparing reports across the team to identify any repeatable patterns of auditory, visual, physical, or communicative activity. The building faces active demolition proposals, making this a narrow window of opportunity and, as far as we are aware, the first documented paranormal investigation of the site.

Most active areas (based on what repeated, correlated, or produced the clearest responses):

Maintenance Room / Original Stage - physical touch, audio captures, visual anomalies, and device interaction
Base Room (Vinyl) - repeated cat ball activations, soap dispenser pattern, audio captures
Main Entrance / Stairwell - visual reports, EMF anomalies, static camera captures

Key findings:

Multiple independent physical touch reports (head and cheek) with no visible cause, witnessed by other team members
A female whimper, moan, and voice captured on audio recorder in the maintenance room
Repeated cat ball activations, including two instances while the team was investigating elsewhere
A battery-operated soap dispenser that continued activating after batteries were removed, with surrounding dispensers then also activating
Recurring Estes method references to music and dancing, consistent with the building’s 90-year entertainment history

About the Old Havana Cinema / ATIK Nightclub

The building at 108 South Street has been a fixture of Romford’s high street for roughly 90 years. It opened in 1936 as the Havana Cinema, an Art Deco landmark, and became part of Odeon Theatres between 1943 and 1948 before passing to the Rank Organisation. During its cinema years, the venue hosted performances by The Beatles and David Bowie.

From 1999 onwards, the building was converted into a nightclub and operated under several names, including Time & Envy, Liquid & Envy, and Fiction. Following a major refurbishment, it became ATIK in 2018 before closing in February 2024. As of January 2026, demolition proposals are active for redevelopment of the site.

There are no confirmed deaths inside the building. However, multiple serious violent incidents occurred directly outside the premises, including stabbings and a shooting in 2011. These events, combined with nine decades of intense social and emotional energy, made the site a compelling candidate for investigation, particularly given the narrow window before demolition.

No widely documented paranormal investigations are linked specifically to this building prior to ours.

Conditions On The Night

We always record environmental conditions to help identify natural explanations for anything reported during the night.

The investigation took place during typical January conditions, with external temperatures around 5-9°C. The building itself was cold internally. The moon phase was a new moon (approximately 18th January), meaning very little natural moonlight was present. Wind speeds were light to moderate at around 8-15 km/h, with occasional higher gusts in the early evening. Humidity levels were high, in the mid-70% to high-80% range, particularly around dusk and overnight.

Noise contamination was a moderate risk due to the building’s high street location, with the main doors facing South Street. An active alarm system was also present in the building.

How We Ran The Investigation

Before any structured investigation began, we carried out baseline EMF and environmental readings across the building using an EMF Detector and K2 Meter. This allows us to identify existing electromagnetic sources so we can rule them out later if devices react during active investigation.

The baseline readings showed largely stable EMF levels throughout the building. Minor K2 spikes were noted in the cloakroom walls, main entrance area, and first floor stairwell. The safe room and offices showed higher EMF readings (orange on the K2 scale), consistent with electrical sources in those areas. The dancefloor, graffiti bar, and main ATIK dancefloor showed no spikes.

Across the evening, we used a combination of static cameras, digital audio recorders, cat balls, a Rempod, K2 meters, EMF detectors, a motion-detecting camera, and the Estes method (spirit box with noise-isolating headphones) during structured sessions in different areas of the building.

Key Activity By Area

Initial Walkthrough (6:30 PM - 7:15 PM)

During the initial walkthrough, Laura believed she saw movement near the cloakroom. Very shortly afterwards, the building alarm activated, stating “Intruder detected.” It did not reoccur for the rest of the evening. A metallic sound was heard by Dan, Laura, and Graham. We were later able to replicate the sound as a loose screw cover in the door handle, though we could not explain why the door handle had moved in the first place. Laura also reported a sense of heaviness in the Graffiti Room, while Dan experienced a chest sensation in the same location.

Base Room (Vinyl) - Increasing Activity

From approximately 9:23 PM onwards, the ground floor base room became a focal point. Cat balls activated repeatedly throughout the session, with some appearing to respond to direct requests. Two cat ball activations were captured on static camera while the team was investigating elsewhere in the building, meaning no one was in the room at the time.

A strong, unexplained urine smell was reported by multiple team members, with no immediate toilet source identified. A battery-operated soap dispenser activated multiple times throughout the evening, corroborated on static camera footage.

This continued after the batteries were removed from the dispenser, and other dispensers in the area then began activating as well.

The motion detector camera activated, with its infrared light visible in the reflection of the opposing mirror. A whistling sound was heard shortly after.

Two further whistles and multiple taps and knocks were recorded on static camera footage. Laura, Kirstie, and Dan each reported chest sensations at the same time. The static camera also captured what sounded like a breath very close to the camera.

Main Entrance and Stairwell

This area produced both device anomalies and visual reports. At 9:45 PM, Dan saw a black shape peer from a staff room doorway at the top of the stairs. Just over an hour later, the EMF detector began sustained beeping in a very specific spot near the static camera. Dan removed equipment from the area, but the spikes continued. Moments later, the device also reacted near the alarmed main doors, which likely has a natural explanation.

At 11:19 PM, Dan observed a mist-like black shape moving toward the stairs. An EVP session at the time yielded no responses. Static camera review captured whistles, taps, and possible footsteps, though contamination from high street traffic remains possible. A single flash of light was also captured during the two-and-a-half-hour static camera recording.

First Floor - Graffiti Room

On the first floor, two whistles were heard by the group. A light was seen through the stairwell doors as though someone was descending, but all team members were accounted for. Additional whistling was heard but the source could not be located.

The Curve - Estes Experiment

An extended Estes session in The Curve produced numerous responses. Recurring themes included references to music and dancing (“Dancing”, “Club music”, “Lots of disco music”) and female-associated names such as “Mildred”, “Mary”, and “Ava.” Direct statements included “This is me”, “I’m here”, and “True.”

One notable moment came when investigator Alan asked a spirit to touch Graham on the nose. Graham reacted by rubbing his nose as if touched.

The K2 meter flickered during Graham’s Estes session, and a chest sensation was reported when the team asked for a knock response. Lucy believed she heard a scream at 00:01.

The Estes method does produce abstract and fragmented language by its nature, so while the thematic consistency with the building’s history is interesting, we treat these results as indicative rather than conclusive.

Maintenance Room / Original Stage - Peak Activity

This area produced the most intense experiences of the entire investigation, and it is worth noting that this room was built on the site of the original cinema stage.

Physical sensations: Dan was touched on his head multiple times with no objects overhead. Both Lucy and Laura saw Dan react and can confirm nothing touched him. The app corroborated the experience when, after the first touch, it said “He will touch you.” Lucy was subsequently touched on her head and cheek. Further head touches were reported later in the session. Multiple team members also reported a noticeable temperature drop.

Audio captures: Thudding and footstep-like sounds were recorded near the Rempod.

A scribble sound was captured on the digital recorder.

Most significantly, a female whimper was heard by multiple team members and captured on the recorder, along with a possible EVP of a moan and a girl talking.

These audio files are available for review.

Visual anomalies: Laura repeatedly reported seeing black mist in the area. Dan saw an orange flash. A white flash was seen between Dan and Lucy. The area around the Rempod reportedly darkened and lightened during the session, and a flash of green light near the Rempod was seen by multiple investigators.

Device interaction: App responses during this session included “Josephine”, “I’m hiding here”, and “Black eyes.” Another response, “She shot me,” may reference the documented shooting outside the venue in 2011. Rempod-related noises were noted, though not conclusively confirmed as activation.

Evidence Highlights

After reviewing all static camera footage, audio recordings, and team notes, the following stood out as the most notable evidence from the night:

Multiple independent physical touch reports on the head and cheek, with no visible cause, witnessed by other investigators
A female whimper, moan, and voice captured on audio recorder in the maintenance room
Repeated cat ball activations, including two captured on static camera with no one in the room
Soap dispenser activation continuing after batteries were removed, with other dispensers then activating
Visual mist and light anomalies observed by multiple witnesses across different areas
A localised EMF spike in the stairwell not linked to carried equipment
Recurring references to music and dancing during the Estes session, aligning with the building’s entertainment history

Our Interpretation

The investigation at Old Havana Cinema / ATIK Nightclub produced a broad range of reported phenomena across multiple floors of the building.

The Maintenance Room (built on the original stage) and the Base Room (Vinyl) were the most active areas, with repeated physical sensations, device responses, and auditory anomalies. Certain elements have logical explanations: the metallic door handle noise was replicated, high street traffic could account for some sounds captured on the entrance static camera, and the EMF spike near the alarmed main doors is likely related to the alarm system itself.

However, several events remain unexplained. Simultaneous touch experiences with no visible cause, a female whimper captured on audio, repeated cat ball responses with no one in the room, visual light anomalies witnessed by multiple investigators, and a localised EMF spike not linked to carried equipment all fall outside what we could account for through natural means.

The Estes session produced recurring references to music and dancing that align with the building’s 90-year entertainment history, along with female-associated names and direct statements. While the Estes method requires careful interpretation due to its inherent fragmentation, the thematic consistency is notable.

So, is the Old Havana Cinema haunted?

We think so. Something was present in that building, and whatever it was, it made itself known across multiple areas, to multiple investigators, using methods that ranged from physical contact to audio to device interaction. Whether that activity is connected to the building’s long entertainment history, the violent incidents outside, or something else entirely, we cannot say for certain. But the volume, consistency, and variety of what we recorded puts this firmly in the category of locations we would want to return to.

Future Investigations

If access to the building is possible before any demolition takes place, we would welcome the opportunity to return. Areas we would prioritise include:

Extended time in the Maintenance Room with additional static cameras and audio recorders to capture the physical touch and audio phenomena more comprehensively.
A focused EMF sweep of the stairwell area. The stairwell spike was significant precisely because the baseline had been clean in that area.
Static cameras positioned in unoccupied areas captured cat ball activations and audio that would otherwise have gone unrecorded.
The Estes method produced thematic responses consistent with the building’s history, and is worth repeating in The Curve if access allows.
High street noise contamination should be factored into any evidence review for the entrance and ground floor areas.

This was one of our most active investigations to date. We are grateful for the access and the opportunity to document the site before it is potentially lost.

Thinking About A Paranormal Investigation In Essex Or The South East?

If you’re in Essex, Kent, or the wider South East and something at home or work doesn’t feel right, you don’t need to wait for it to escalate. A lot of cases start with a simple sense that something is off, and you want a second pair of eyes.

KASE Paranormal carries out private investigations across the region, using a structured approach and providing clear written feedback, similar to the case study above.

A structured paranormal investigation can help when:

You have done sensible checks and things still do not feel right
Several people have had similar experiences in the same rooms
The activity affects your sleep, routines, or willingness to use parts of the house
You want a neutral, respectful team to look at the situation with fresh eyes

KASE Paranormal offers private home and business investigations across Kent, Essex, and the wider South East. You can read more about how that works here: https://www.kaseparanormal.co.uk/private-investigations

If you would like to reach out, you can:

Use a short contact form to describe what you are experiencing in your own words: https://www.kaseparanormal.co.uk/contact-us
Request a free chat about your situation in the contact form
Contact us via email or WhatsApp if you prefer a quicker first message

Find us on social media:

Facebook at Kent and South East Paranormal
Instagram @KASEParanormal
X/Twitter @KASEParanormal

You can also read other articles on our blog if you want to think things over before deciding what to do next: https://www.kaseparanormal.co.uk/blog

Whether your house or business turns out to be haunted, quirky, or simply in need of a few practical repairs, you are entitled to answers. If something does not feel right, it is reasonable to ask questions and to ask for help.

Old Havana Cinema / ATIK Nightclub Paranormal Investigation - Case Study