Comments from Billy

Showing 1 - 25 of 60 comments

Billy
Billy commented about Prince's Cinema on Oct 27, 2024 at 12:50 pm

This cinema reopened on the 14th January 1994 after a restoration. It started showing Western/Hollywood films but by the following year had moved to exclusively Asian/Bollywood films again. It was still open as late as 2000 (the films listed above the door right up until demolition date were from this year) but appears to have closed soon after that, and certainly by 2002.

Billy
Billy commented about Phoenix Cinema on Aug 24, 2024 at 3:04 pm

Closed 3rd June 2024, another cinema blaming lower audiences post-pandemic and rising operating costs.

Billy
Billy commented about Scott Cinemas @ The Atrium on Aug 19, 2024 at 12:52 pm

Scott Cinemas passed ownership of this cinema on to The Digital Picture House Ltd on 9th August 2024, and the cinema is now know as The Atrium Cinema East Grinstead.

Billy
Billy commented about Alex Theatre on Aug 14, 2024 at 8:57 am

This cinema did indeed close on 2nd February 2014 and the site is now known as the Alex Theatre, a multi-purpose arts venue that opened in February 2015.

Billy
Billy commented about ABC Cinema on Aug 2, 2024 at 4:43 am

This cinema had closed by 2022, the last reports of it being open I could find are from 2019 so it may have quietly closed during the pandemic.

Billy
Billy commented about Belle-Vue Cinema on Jul 20, 2024 at 9:42 am

The site is now home to the new Willesden Green library building which officially opened on 12th September 2015.

I’m still yet to find a closure date for the old cinema, but the closest I’ve found is a local newspaper article suggesting it shut in November 2009.

Billy
Billy commented about Belle-Vue Cinema on Jul 20, 2024 at 9:34 am

The films on display date this photo to summer 2006.

Billy
Billy commented about Fulham Road Picturehouse on Jul 7, 2024 at 3:16 am

In a lovely touch, the 1988 film Cinema Paradiso will be playing here on the final night.

Billy
Billy commented about Fulham Road Picturehouse on Jun 27, 2024 at 9:18 am

To give you an idea of how busy this cinema used to be in the recent past, on January 20th 2018 this cinema had a massive 2,689 admissions in a day, a probable record from at least 2012 onwards until closure. This was a combination of being a Saturday in January with the peak of Oscar-nominated films being released, and the Cineworld in Leicester Square being closed for refurbishment that month so many of their regular customers went to Fulham instead. January was by far the biggest month for the cinema but they also had huge admissions in the autumn for James Bond films, and before the refurb Avengers: Endgame also did significant numbers there on its opening weekend in April 2019.

As an extreme contrast I also worked a run of very quiet days during the hot summer of 2018 and the football world cup, and on the day of England’s semi final match with Croatia they had just 89 admissions - the biggest audience being 9 people for a 2:30pm matinee of Ocean’s Eight!

Billy
Billy commented about Metro Cinema on Jun 26, 2024 at 4:18 am

Picturehouse have confirmed that this cinema will close on 28th July 2024, the third closure announced for this summer along with Bromley and Fulham Road. When I was there a few months ago to see The Zone of Interest it did seem a bit of a sad sight, looking very worn and areas closed off.

Billy
Billy commented about Fulham Road Picturehouse on Jun 24, 2024 at 5:47 am

Unfortunately it looks like the closure is true as it’s now been announced by email and social media, the last day is 11th July. This was my workplace from 2017 to 2019 (just before the Picturehouse refurb) and it really was very busy back then particularly during Oscar season, the refurb made it look stunning but cinema attendances have dropped so much in recent years it all came a bit too late. Demolition would be an incredibly sad end to this place.

Billy
Billy commented about Picturehouse Bromley on Jun 24, 2024 at 5:30 am

Sadly this cinema has just been announced as closing on the 1st August 2024. It’s been my local in recent months but it’s very noticeable how quiet it’s been even on opening weekends of major films, a shame as the Picturehouse refurb just five years ago has been very good.

Billy
Billy commented about Vogue Cinema on Jan 17, 2024 at 11:41 am

Not just yet, it’s been paused for at least six months after a building preservation notice, so it still stands: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-68011946

Billy
Billy commented about Curzon Chelsea Cinema on Nov 7, 2023 at 9:33 am

Still closed as of November 2023, but the development seems to be approaching completion and Cadogan’s website suggests a 2024 reopening date.

Billy
Billy commented about Curzon Ripon on Sep 19, 2023 at 12:15 pm

This cinema closed permanently on July 1st 2023, citing the challenging trading conditions since the pandemic and the cinema not recovering as Curzon would have hoped.

Billy
Billy commented about Kavanagh Cinema on Aug 30, 2023 at 5:32 am

The last day of 35mm projection at this cinema was Sunday 3rd November 2013, it has been digital since then. A video from that day can be seen at https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=E9jWpvYq8vY .

Billy
Billy commented about Minema Cinema on Jul 28, 2023 at 4:09 am

Looking at Google Street View, all traces of the Minema were demolished during the major rebuilding of the Berkeley Hotel in 2020, today a new building stands in its place.

Billy
Billy commented about Regent Cinema on Jul 17, 2023 at 3:50 am

I’ve uploaded two visits in September 2020 and June 2023 to the Photos page. The cinema remains closed but still standing, some noticeable refurbishment work has been done in the three years which can be compared. At least one cinema poster still remains from the 2016 fire in the foyer.

Billy
Billy commented about Apollo Cinema on Dec 3, 2022 at 4:18 am

Closure date appears to have been 18th January 2001 from online sources.

Billy
Billy commented about Cineworld Cinema - Wembley on Oct 6, 2022 at 8:52 am

This cinema was refurbished in December 2019, adding 4DX seating (replacing D-Box) and relocating the upstairs Starbucks to the ground floor.

Billy
Billy commented about Piccadilly Cinema on Dec 3, 2019 at 1:31 pm

This image is from 2005.

Billy
Billy commented about Fulham Road Picturehouse on Dec 3, 2019 at 12:51 pm

Opening slightly delayed to Sunday, 8th December.

This was my workplace from 2017 to earlier this year, looking forward to seeing the results of the refurbishment!

Billy
Billy commented about Fulham Road Picturehouse on Oct 7, 2019 at 7:42 am

Final evening of being a Cineworld was Sunday 6th October 2019, estimated reopening as a Picturehouse sometime in November.

Billy
Billy commented about Prince Charles Cinema on Nov 21, 2018 at 4:25 pm

Visited today for the first time in a few months and noticed a significant refurbishment has taken place, in the foyer and especially the toilets which are much more modern and nicer looking. Still a brilliant cinema with excellent 35mm presentations, £1 member tickets and all-night themed movie marathons.

Billy
Billy commented about Cineworld Cinema - Chelsea on Apr 28, 2018 at 1:48 pm

Demolition began in early 2018 and the site has now been mostly cleared. A photo has been uploaded from April this year.