ROCK’N’ROLL legend Mick Jagger has got behind the campaign to save the former EMD cinema.

The Rolling Stones played at the Hoe Street venue when it was called the Granada on their first British tour in 1964.

The aging rocker said he was “heartbroken” to learn that the historic music and cinema venue could be converted into a church, after receiving an impassioned plea from a Save the EMD campaigner and McGuffin Film Society member.

Mick Jagger said: "Cinemas and live venues like The Granada in Walthamstow where the Stones played in the early days, learning our craft on the way, are the lifeblood of our cultural history.

“They helped launched British popular music onto a world stage and should continue to function as places of entertainment and enjoyment.

“It's heartbreaking to here about such a beautiful, important historical building and centre of entertainment is being lost to the local community.

"I fully support the campaign to keep it open and provide film, music and the arts for generations to come."

Backing from the star follows support from other celebrities including, former Leytonstone resident Tony Robinson, former Walthamstow resident and actress and screenwriter Meera Syal and veteran politician, broadcaster and historian Tony Benn.

McGuffin spokesman Bill Hodgson said: "We are delighted that Mick Jagger has put his support behind it.

"It has a great heritage, not just as a cinema but as an entertainment venue and people shouldn't forget that it has great potential to be a venue for music as well as a cinema."

The owners of the building, the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God (UCKG), held a public exhibition about their plans to convert the Grade II listed Art Deco building into a church venue and UCKG Help Centre with rooms for private hire.

A planning application for the rennovation of the building is due to be submitted to Waltham Forest Council shortly.