Independent Cinemas in London

Independent Cinemas in London

14 September, 2009
by: Spoonfed Team

If you're tired of the bog standard London cinema corporations showing the same old tripe, we recommend checking out some of London's famous independent cinemas. Many of these are situated in beautiful, historic buildings, and you generally get more bang for your buck at these movie houses. Forget your tacky nachos and watered down, over-priced Pepsi. It's time for a glass of wine and something far more sophisticated to nibble on throughout the feature presentation. So take a walk on the wild side, risk a random film, and check out some of London's best independent cinemas.

Greenwich Picturehouse
A part of the Picturehouse group, Greenwich offers a luxury four screen cinema, as well as a basement screening room. Its first floor panoramic bar is glass fronted (perfect for people watching), which is ideal for that pre-movie beverage. Not only does it show some of the world's most beautiful contemporary art house films, but you can also treat yourself to a range of tapas from the Organic Tapas Bar downstairs. A yearly membership comes in at £32 (£24 for students) which entitles you to cheap tickets all year round. Picturehouse Cinemas are well known for their Director's Q&A sessions, as well as numerous other film, comedy and music events. So if you're looking for a cinema with a little more oomph then check out Greenwich Picturehouse.



Prince Charles Cinema
This little gem of a cinema is hidden away just off of Leicester Square and is probably best known for it's weekly matinees at a whopping £1.50 in the downstairs area for members (£1 per month). The Prince Charles plays a range of films from independent and foreign films, to Hollywood blockbusters. Once a West End theatre and "a film-house of ill repute", the Prince Charles lives up to its name as the heart of independent film in central London. Downstairs classics range from £1.50 - £5, whilst the newer, recently installed screen upstairs ranges from £6 - £9.50.





The Phoenix
The Phoenix cinema opened in 1910 and is believed to be the "oldest purpose-built continuously serving cinema in the UK", and despite its age, has managed to retain a lot of its original features. The prices are what you'd expect from an old art house cinema (with a few good deals) and the cinema plays a mixture of popular, foreign films, as well as a double-bill matinée on Sundays before 5pm. Its plush surroundings make The Phoenix a perfect venue for directors' talks and workshops.



Everyman Hampstead
If you've got a little more cash to splash, and are looking for something more intimate, the Everyman Hampstead offers private "screening lounges" to both individuals and couples. £15 will get you into the private balcony of 24 leather armchairs, whilst £30 will get you an executive suite reserved for couples. Everyman Hampstead aims to give you that cosy lounge environment at a minor extra cost.



The Exhibit
The Exhibit in Balham is a double treat bringing you both boutique cinema and a restaurant. With cheap ticket prices (£5, £3 when you dine at the restaurant), it caters for an intimate total of 70 viewers on lovely two-seater leather sofas. The restaurant itself is reasonably priced and with a bar attached which makes for extra comfy film viewing. The perfect place to get snuggled up with someone, but not in that back-row-at-fifteen-years-old kinda way.




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Spoonfed Team