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!
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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 .
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.
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.
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.
I’m astonished that this has lasted so long when there’s been another Vue literally minutes down the road in Westfield for seven years. Together that’s a huge 32 screens, but films often duplicate in both cinemas.
Can’t be many other London cinemas that cheap – Prince Charles’s lowest tickets start at £4.50 for weekday matinees (Member price), and Empire Walthamstow is still £3.95 on Tuesdays, possibly Sutton too when that reopens next month.
The readograph stopped being used around 2013 (along with most Cineworld cinemas) and I’m not sure there were any staff left who knew how to change it. A closure notice like Staples Corner would have been nice though.
Seating capacities at closure were 205, 226, 113 and 104.
The films shown on the final day are confirmed to be ‘Kong: Skull Island’, ‘Hidden Figures’, ‘John Wick: Chapter 2’ and ‘Logan’. Plans were made to show a series of classic films on the day of closure, including ‘The Rocky Horror Picture Show’ which would have been perfect given the site’s history, but sadly it wasn’t able to happen.
A small if friendly cinema I’ve been proud to call my place of work for the last several months, and as the many hundreds of customers who watched ‘La La Land’ here in recent weeks will prove, a popular site until the very end. King’s Road and its residents will miss it greatly.
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.
The films on display date this photo to summer 2006.
In a lovely touch, the 1988 film Cinema Paradiso will be playing here on the final night.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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
Still closed as of November 2023, but the development seems to be approaching completion and Cadogan’s website suggests a 2024 reopening date.
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.
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 .
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.
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.
Closure date appears to have been 18th January 2001 from online sources.
This cinema was refurbished in December 2019, adding 4DX seating (replacing D-Box) and relocating the upstairs Starbucks to the ground floor.
This image is from 2005.
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!
Final evening of being a Cineworld was Sunday 6th October 2019, estimated reopening as a Picturehouse sometime in November.
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.
Demolition began in early 2018 and the site has now been mostly cleared. A photo has been uploaded from April this year.
I’m astonished that this has lasted so long when there’s been another Vue literally minutes down the road in Westfield for seven years. Together that’s a huge 32 screens, but films often duplicate in both cinemas.
Can’t be many other London cinemas that cheap – Prince Charles’s lowest tickets start at £4.50 for weekday matinees (Member price), and Empire Walthamstow is still £3.95 on Tuesdays, possibly Sutton too when that reopens next month.
The readograph stopped being used around 2013 (along with most Cineworld cinemas) and I’m not sure there were any staff left who knew how to change it. A closure notice like Staples Corner would have been nice though.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/billy_hicks/albums/72157677855312853
A gallery of the cinema on its final day of service, including screens, AV and staff areas.
Seating capacities at closure were 205, 226, 113 and 104.
The films shown on the final day are confirmed to be ‘Kong: Skull Island’, ‘Hidden Figures’, ‘John Wick: Chapter 2’ and ‘Logan’. Plans were made to show a series of classic films on the day of closure, including ‘The Rocky Horror Picture Show’ which would have been perfect given the site’s history, but sadly it wasn’t able to happen.
A small if friendly cinema I’ve been proud to call my place of work for the last several months, and as the many hundreds of customers who watched ‘La La Land’ here in recent weeks will prove, a popular site until the very end. King’s Road and its residents will miss it greatly.