Britain’s oldest cinema is set to shut down
The Electric Cinema in Birmingham has announced that it will be closing its doors. The picture house first opened in 1909 and is currently the oldest working cinema in the UK.
At this stage, the cinema has yet to make a statement, but there has been an outpouring of support in favour of the building. The Southside Business Investment District officials have since said they feel “dismay” at the news, especially given the building’s historical background.
Equally, the Birmingham Flatpack Festival organisers, who hold an annual festival at the cinema, have said they are saddened by the news. They revealed that they went to book the building and were told it would not be available.
The cinema has two rooms and an Art Deco style, with the ability to show both digital films and movies on 35mm. Initially built in a converted taxi rank on Station Street, it showed its first movie on December 27th, 1909. Since then, it has continued to show the latest releases alongside classic movies.
According to Birmingham Live, the cinema is closed for the “foreseeable future” and there are currently no listings going forward.
In 2022, the cinema re-opened under new management after being forced to close due to the pandemic. The Electric is currently owned by Kevin Markwick, who is also the proprietor of the Picture House Cinema, in Uckfield, East Sussex, which is also one of the oldest cinemas in Britain.
BirminghamWorld state that £100,000 was injected into rejuvenating the cinema ahead of the re-opening in 2022. However, it now looks set to close “for good” and the publication claim it could possibly be bulldozed to allow developers to build apartments.
An anonymous staff member told BirminghamWorld: “We were all told about a month ago we were losing our jobs. As far as we know it’s closed for good and could be knocked down within 18 months. Today (Thurs) is the last day. It’s a really sad day for us and for the city. The place is iconic across not only Birmingham but further afield as well.”
This is a developing story.
Never Miss A Scene
The Far Out Film Newsletter
All the latest film news from the independent voice of culture.
Straight to your inbox.