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Historic Notting Hill Arthouse Cinema Undergoes Refurbishment
posted by
woody
on
August 19, 2004 at 6:01 am
LONDON, ENGLAND — The historic Gate Cinema in London’s trendy Notting Hill is currently undergoing an extensive refurbishment.
Externally, it will have a new canopy, marquee and vertical blade sign. Internally, it will have a totally new lobby in stainless steel and oak (nothing of the original lobby exists following a rebuild after WWII when the ornate exterior suffered extensive bomb damage).
The Grade II listed auditorium is a extravagantly ornate wedding cake confection of Edwardian plasterwork with a heavily coffered ceiling.
The original proscenium was a very simple curved plaster trough that was removed to enlarge the screen in 1931 when sound was installed, the original screen was directly against the back wall.
A state-of-the-art air conditioning system has been carefully worked into the 1911 ceiling vents, new purple carpets and red velvet armchair seats are being installed, all seats will have a drinks table and the auditorium is fully licensed, and the back two rows of seats will feature double velvet love seats.
The Gate is run by the Picturehouse Group who will continue to maintain its reputation as London’s foremost arts cinema. It reopens on Friday Aug 27, with ‘The Motorcycle Diaries’.
Comments (2)
I’ve been to this theatre and it is truly lovely.
Sounds like a truely wonerful theatre. If I ever visit London I will be sure to visit the Gate Cinema. I am currently trying to save an historic theatre here in the State of Virginia. The Historic Strand Theatre. The owner is sitting own the property and refuses to let anyone buy the thing and restore it. It’s sort of a sad situation really. The Strand was built in 1914-1915 at a total cost of $300,000 or the equiv. of $3 million in todays money. The new 12 screen cinema here in Danville only cost $2 million to build and the Strand was more than that in total cost and it only had one screen. Be sure to look out for the Strand Theatre on Cinema Treasures… the theatre information is currently being reviewed.