6 of the Best Independent Cinemas in the UK

Are you visiting the UK, or perhaps you live and work here, and want to explore some more of the arts culture in your area? Why not support a local independent business at the same time! All across the UK there are cinemas where you can see interesting releases that you wouldn’t find in one of the big chains, as well as screenings of some of the classic films from past decades. This managed IT services London company has a lot of experience with cinemas. TechQuarters, whilst being based in London, actually has technicians working up and down the country. “Everyone in our company loves cinema,” says TechQuarters, “And it’s great for the company socials to see new films.”

We would always recommend choosing an independent cinema over a big chain, for two reasons: Firstly, you willhave the choice to see films you would not normally be exposed to (such as foreign or low-budget films), and the experience is much more unique. So, what are some good cinemas to check out in the UK?

LONDON

London has always been a cultural icon in the UK, full of arts and cinema. There are excellent independent cinemas all across the capital. “Delivering our IT support London services means we’ve been all across the city,” says TechQuarters. “There are great cinemas no matter where you go in London.”

Rio London

Over 110 years old, the Rio cinema was originally an auctioneer’s shop and became one of London’s first ever cinemas in 1909. It was so popular that the properties on either side were bought by the owner for expansion. The Rio Cinemas has an excellent Art Deco interior design, that was built in 1937. Nowadays, you can have a drink at the LudskiBar, and enjoy a great selection of independent films from across the world.

Prince Charles

This is one of the last independent cinemas operating in London’s West End. It used to be a theatre but made the transition to moving pictures. The Prince Charles cinema may be most famous for screening cinema classics and movie marathons. They are a small but mighty cinema that is worth a visit.

Prince Charles Cinema is located near both the Piccadilly Circus and Leicester Square underground stations. This makes it easy to reach from anywhere in London. If you’re planning to visit here on a layover or similar, then you’ll be happy to know there are easy transport links from major hubs such as Victoria Station, King’s Cross, and also Heathrow. You can even access Victoria Station luggage storage services if you have to carry your stuff around or if you can’t check into your hotel yet.

BRISTOL

The UNESCO City of Film, Bristol is another fantastic destination for arts of all kinds. The home of Aardman(Wallace and Gromit, Chicken Run, Shaun the Sheep), Bristol is a city steeped in film.

Watershed

The Watershed is something of a cultural icon in Bristol. It screens a diverse mix of films from all over the world and is involved in many programs to promote the arts both local and internationally. It has a great bar & café and many interesting programs of films.

The Cube

The smallest venue on this list, The Cube Micro plex was formed in 1998 by 4 artists and is tucked away in a little nook of central Bristol. Its programs include a wide array of live performance, music, cinema, audiovisual projects, and much more.

MANCHESTER

Further North, in Manchester, a vibrant culture of arts and technology can be found. If you live in or around Manchester, you’ll be spoiled for choice. TechQuarters also provide IT support in Manchester. “Our technicians love to catch a film at one of Manchester’s many great cinemas.” Says TechQuarters.

HOME

This venue was opened in 2015, and is a multi-million-poundvenue dedicated to film, theatre and art. As well as this, HOME is also dedicated to regional talent development and community engagement – with lots of projects dedicated to getting people from all backgrounds into the arts. It includes 3 food and drink spaces – the Cinema Bar and Roof Terrace, the First Floor Restaurant, and the Ground Floor Bar; and 5 stateof the art cinemas that screen everything from new released, to restored classics, documentaries, shorts and foreign-language films.

Manchester and Salford Film Society

Another traditional venue, the Manchester and Salford Film Society is the UK’s longest-running film society – it was established in 1930. They do not have their own venue butusing the Altrincham Little Theatre. The interesting thing about this one is that members of the society choose which films will be screened each month – however, anyone is welcome to come to screenings (and tickets are a bargain.)