Hackney Picturehouse cinema opens to the public

Hackney Picturehouse (artist's illustration) Image: Fletcher Priest Architects

The Hackney Picturehouse cinema in Mare Street opens its doors to the public tomorrow (Friday 28 October) after six months of preparation.

The £3.5 million worth of works has given the building opposite Hackney Town Hall four brand new screens, three bars and a live music venue.

Speaking today Lyn Goleby, managing director of Picturehouse operator City Screen, praised the “extraordinary transformation of the building” which was previously known as the Ocean.

As the landmark twentieth Picturehouse in a network of art-house cinemas across the country, the group is keen to stress the level of independence and individuality at the new Hackney venue.

Claire Binns, director of programming, told the Hackney Citizen: “I am personally choosing all the films. My main aim is to give the audience the best sense of cinema.”

“We have someone who specialises in documentaries, someone else who specialises in independent art house and so on. The idea is to ensure there is an wide-ranging programme of films along with live material, including opera, theatre, dance and literature events.”

The cinema will also screen mainstream films to keep as broad an audience as possible: “It’s all about making sure we don’t underestimate our audience. We want a range of cinema,” said Binns.

For the ordinary film-goer, the Hackney Picturehouse offers a luxury cinema experience. Reclining seats throughout the 600-capacity multiplex with space to stretch out come as a welcome change from mainstream complexes.

A steep incline in screen one makes for guaranteed uninterrupted viewing while state-of-the-art screens with digital, 3D and satellite technology throughout add to the experience.

A street level café-bar is an inviting spot for a pre-movie coffee and film-goers are also treated to a smaller bar closer to the screens for a quick post-film bottle of the bespoke Picturehouse Pale Ale from London Fields Brewery.

And, of course, the Hackney Attic entertainment venue on the top floor has its own bar, bringing with it a taste of one of its sister venues, The Ritzy (in Brixton). Punters can expect live bands from a variety of genres, short films, “London’s best” film quiz, workshops, spoken-word and open-mic nights, in a setting overlooking Hackney Town Hall and the Hackney Empire.

The new Picturehouse cinema should attract enthusiasts from Hackney and beyond, giving a further boost to the area. “We are getting a fantastic reception from the local community,” said Goleby as she addressed visitors.

There have also been plenty of jobs created. Bar manager Remo Mongiat told the Hackney Citizen there were around 46 full time staff, trained and rotating from bar to front of house operations. He added that a further 12 part-time positions had been filled.

All details of up-coming screenings and events including, Film Africa – celebrating African Cinema, can be found on the Hackney Picturehouse website along with details of memberships and concessions.

The cinema’s opening week’s listings include: The Help, Tintin 3D, The Ides of March, and We Need To Talk About Kevin.

More information at Hackney Picturehouse.

Twitter @HackneyPH