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Camdenist’s very own incognito cinema obsessive has been visiting a selection of the Borough’s key multiplexes, arthouse screens and neighbourhood fleapits, meticulously rating everything, from ambiance to accessibility, snack selection to number of seats.
We’ll add more screens to the list over the coming months, creating a comprehensive local cinema directory and resource for picking the best place to see movies based on your specific requirements.
With all today’s disposable digital distraction, the rare focus and hushed ceremony of a trip to the pictures should not be underestimated – or forgotten.
So read on, then go out and see something on the big silver screen…
A solid, if rather standard, local cinema. Once a grand single screen complete with elevating organ player, today it’s been chopped up into a popular 5-screener.
£10.50 for premier seats
£8 for a regular seat
1 x adult Premier + 1 x child Premier for £16
Students, familes and those on a budget.
Date night potential: Neutral
Mainly commercial blockbusters
You can order Deliveroo - there's a meet-up point on the ground floor
Decent price plus a wide range of restaurants nearby
No bar or restaurant, but they do bring snacks to your seat
Just snacks, but Deliveroo an option
Yes, at the kiosk, but there was no ice – the cashier claimed it was ‘due to health and safety post-pandemic’.
Decent portion but not salty enough – felt a bit dry
All fairly familiar brands
Yes
Most screens have 2 wheelchair spaces (screen 1 has 3m but screen 5 has none)
Headsets available
AD Available
No information
Excellent – busses pull up outside, and Camden Town tube is 2 mins away
Comfortable standard seating
No frills, but clean enough
Screen 1 327 seats
Screen 2 74 seats
Screen 3 178 seats
Screen 4 74 seats
Screen 5 77 seats
All have RealD and Dolby Surround Sound
Almost like having your own private screening rooms, five cinema screens set under railway arches make for a great cosmopolitan night out
£18.50 adults
£11 child
Seniors £17.50
Family ticket (2 adults 2 children) £48.50
Happy Hours! 5pm-9pm Mon-Fri you get 2 for £16 on all cocktails
Dates, adult nights out with friends. No baby club.
Big films and a smattering of indie ones too, but limited due to the 5 screens
You need to buy your tickets in the bar, then leave to go to the arches next door (no internal access), and scan your ticket for the door to open.
Expensive tickets vs. nearby cinemas but you do get much better ambiance.
Beautiful bar, one you can get a coffee in as well as a cocktail, a pre-film date space, which also offers food (though the day I went, the pizza oven wasn’t working).
Yes – here’s the menu
A strong selection of drinks
Warm, fresh, good amount of flavour. Missed out on a 10 as was smaller than competitors for the price: £5.75 for a large, £4.75 small.
Popcorn, candy pots and ice cream only – don’t expect your choice of Maltesers. Better for food selection, which you can take into the screens
Yes
Full wheelchair access, but only one space per screen
Headsets available on request
Audion description available
No auditory sensitivity screenings
Busses stop nearby and Camden Town tube is 10 mins away
Comfortable luxe seats as standard
Good and clean, but only a few stalls though
Screen 1-5 all have 30 seats + 1 wheelchair space
Dolby Surround Sound, 35mm screenings but no 3D
Beautiful movie-going experience, with a bar that’s worth a visit even if you aren’t going to see a film and a relaxed all-day environment
£19.95 for adults
None
Dates, adult nights out with friends. There's also a baby club in the daytime
Nice mix of commercial and indie
One screen is quite far across the road. There''s also no cup holder per seat, so I had to share my little table with the couple sitting next to us
Expensive tickets but this is definately a luxe night out
Very chic bar with a nice vibe. The Everyman on the corner also has its own bar
Yes – here’s the menu, including the in-house Spielburgers
Yes – pioneers of the bottle of wine in the cinema
A little stale and not filled up to the top. Comparable prices to competitors at £6.49 for a large, £5.99 regular
Strong dessert game vs competitors, with cakes and sundaes, alongside ice tubs
Yes
There is 1 removable seat for wheelchair in Screen 1, 2 & 3 and 2 positions provided in Screen 4. Access via lift to Screens 1, 2 & 3 and shared accessible toilet all with level access to Screen 4.
Information not easily available on website. After digging, I found that hearing assist capabilities is available for screens 1 – 3 but this is not stated in the accessibility section.
No info available on website
Information not easily found on website
Busses stop nearby and Camden Town tube is 10 mins away
Shared sofas
Very stylish, if a little bit of a mission to reach down in the basement
Screen 1 109 seats
Screen 2 108 seats
Screen 3 31 seats
Screen 4 28 seats
Sony 4K projection, Dolby 7.1 digital sound, satellite capabilities, 2D only, hearing assist capabilities
A little worn out as the building is due to come down at some point, but gets the job done with a nice multiplex atmosphere and a whopping 12 different screens
£7.99 for adults
(Saver is £6.99 and premium £8.99)
£2.45 for Sat & Sun morning children's tickets if you buy online
Students, budget-friendly families. Not great for a date as a bit functional
You'll get to see most new releases, but perhaps not as many indies
Nothing unexpected
Value is on ticket price - snacks are price (but you can bring your own)
Wetherspoons vibes. The bar was a little messy yet also empty
No – eat in the shopping centre before / after
Vue Scene Bar has a decent enough selection and isn’t for VIPs as in some other sites
Warm, fresh, good amount of flavour. Missed out on 10/10 as the size was smaller vs competitors, especially for the price
Good overall selection, include crisps which is not available in all cinemas, although no Cadburys. Dedicated Ben and Jerry’s counter
No
Wheelchair access throughout but only one per screen. Point deducted because it’s one space and no choice given.
Subtitled (ST) films every week, they’ll organise a headset or neckloop for you for some screening that are suitable for infrared technology to provide hearing assistance
AD availble in some screens
Limited autism showing (10am on the last Sunday of every month) – not adult friendly
Excellent with loads of busses and Finchley Rd tube about 3 mins away
Good leather-style seats but they are looking a little worn
Lots of stalls in both the mens and womens, but all needs more cleaning
Screen 1: 163 seats
Screen 2: 157 seats
Screen 3: 116 seats
Screen 4: 163 seats
Screen 5: 153 seats
Screen 6: 152 seats
Screen 7: 48 seats
Screen 8: 358 seats
Screen 9: 139 seats
Screen 10: 44 seats
Screen 11: 130 seats
Screen 12: 84 seats
Dolby Surround Sound VueXTreme – supersized 3D screens as big as 4 double-decker buses 3D Sony 4K Picture Quality
Beautiful and historic art deco movie theatre that’s dripping with glamour and ideal for a date night – you can stroll through the park before/after too 🙂
£17 for adults
£15 Over 60s & students (age 15-17 or in education) / £10 University of Westminster
£9 Children (up to 14) & wheelchair bay
CHOOSE DAYS - Every Tuesday, you can choose to pay either £6, £8 or £10 for a ticket, plus prices are 'off peak' on Sundays, too.
Students, budget-friendly families. Not great for a date as a bit functional
Will show big films, with a smattering for indie films but is limited in range due to only having one screen.
The birthplace of British cinema - first screening moving pictures back in 1896!
Expensive tickets, but reasonably priced snacks and plenty of glamour.
Lush art deco with an impresive menu to boot
No
A wide range in the bar
Pre-packed ‘Popcorn Shed’ brand, big packs at a reasonable price compared to other cinemas
Truly independent snacks – don’t except Coca-Cola and Cadburys – think independent brands and Tony’s Chocolonely
No
3 wheelchair spaces – 2 on the front row and 1 in the back row accessible via lift. One of the few that offers wheelchairs users choice.
Currently being updated
Also being updated so non functional
Nothing stated on website
Excellent with loads of busses and Finchley Rd tube about 3 mins away
A tight squeeze if you are fuller-figured
Pretty good if rather standard
35mm, 16mm and 4k digital projection, no extaas like 3D
Want to contribute your own rankings to our growing directory of Camden’s cinemas? Email us at team@camdenist.com
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