Cockpit Theatre, Marylebone

The Cockpit is a fringe theatre in Marylebone, London.

Designed by Edward Mendelsohn and built in 1969–70 by the Inner London Education Authority (ILEA) as the Gateforth Youth Arts Centre, it is London's first purpose-built Theatre in the round since the Great Fire of London. When ILEA was disbanded in 1990, ownership of the Cockpit was transferred to the London Borough of Westminster, who made it part of the newly renamed City of Westminster College. The Cockpit is the only purpose-built, free standing, commercially operating theatre training venue in the capital.

Between 1993 and 1995 the Soho Theatre Company rented the theatre from City Of Westminster College and relaunched itself after a period of homelessness. During this period they premiered the works of over 35 new writers.

Apart from the Soho residency, from the time of its handover from the Greater London Council to the City of Westminster College until 2011 it was used as a training venue for the City of Westminster College's performing arts, theatre lighting, sound engineering and media students, along with regularly visiting students from Ball State University and young people from The Prince's Trust. The Cockpit hosted regular training opportunities in technical theatre skills such as rigging and pyrotechnics, and was (and continues to be) popular with drama schools and youth groups. For many years it hosted the National Youth Jazz Orchestra's weekend rehearsals every Saturday and DreamArts every term-time Sunday.

In January 2011, owners City of Westminster College moved into their new main building at Paddington Green which included another theatre. This change meant The Cockpit was no longer used for day-to-day teaching and instead commenced extensive full-time programme development as one of the larger fringe theatre venues in London, retaining its commitment to young and emerging artists.

The cockpit remains a campus of United Colleges Group.