{{Short description|Cinema chain in the United Kingdom}} {{for|the American film production company|Picturehouse (company)}} {{citation style|date=July 2021}} {{EngvarB|date=May 2018}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2018}} {{Infobox company | name = Picturehouse Cinemas Limited | logo = Picturehouse Cinemas logo.svg | parent = Cineworld | foundation = {{start date and age|1989}} | founder = Lyn Goleby/Tony Jones | key_people = Clare Binns (Managing Director) | location = London, England | locations = 28 | area_served = United Kingdom | num_employees = | market cap = | industry = Leisure, Entertainment & Film Distribtuion | subsid = Picturehouse Entertainment | homepage = {{URL|picturehouses.com/}} {{URL|picturehouses.com/entertainment}} }} '''Picturehouse Cinemas''' is a network of cinemas in the United Kingdom, owned by Cineworld.<ref name=BBC>{{cite news|url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-20622581| date = 6 December 2012 | access-date = 6 December 2012 | publisher= BBC| title = Cineworld buys Picturehouse in cinema chain takeover}}</ref> The company runs its own film distribution arm, Picturehouse Entertainment,<ref>[https://www.picturehouses.com/entertainment Home | Picturehouse Entertainment ] Linked 14 March 2024</ref> which has released acclaimed films such as Hirokazu Kore-eda's ''Broker'' and ''Monster'', ''Scrapper'', ''Corsage'', Sally Potter's ''The Party'', Francis Lee's ''God's Own Country'' and ''The Wife''. A previous iteration of this distribution arm, which focused largely on alternative content, was sold in 2017 to Howard Panter and Rosemary Squire and rebranded as Trafalgar Releasing.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.screendaily.com/5119347.article|title=UK distributor Trafalgar Releasing reveals structure and growth plan|work=Screen|access-date=18 November 2017}}</ref>
The first cinema in the chain, Phoenix Picturehouse, opened in Oxford in 1989, but many of the others operated independently before then:<ref name="oxford-times">{{cite news|title=Jericho cinema to mark centenary | first=Debbie | last=White |newspaper=The Oxford Times | page=29 | date=24 January 2013 }}</ref> the Duke of York's Picture House in Brighton, for example, opened in 1910 and is Britain's longest continually operating cinema.
On 17 March 2020, Picturehouse and all other movie cinema companies in the UK temporarily closed their UK cinemas, due to the COVID-19 pandemic,<ref name="bbcreportsCovid">{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-51925490|title=Coronavirus: Odeon, Vue and Cineworld shut UK cinemas|date=17 March 2020|work=BBC News}}</ref> reopening them on 31 July. A second closure took place from 9 October 2020 until 17 May 2021, due to an insufficient amount of new film releases and a second wave of the pandemic closing indoor venues.<ref name=bbcreports>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-54407213|title=Cineworld to shut down UK screens after Bond film delay|date=4 October 2020|work=BBC News}}</ref>
In 2022, their parent company Cineworld filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the United States,<ref name="Bankruptcy">{{cite news|last1=Goldsmith|first1=Jill|last2=Tartaglione|first2=Nancy|title=Regal Parent Cineworld Files For Bankruptcy|url=https://deadline.com/2022/09/regal-parent-cineworld-bankruptcy-1235110071/|work=Deadline Hollywood|date=September 7, 2022}}</ref> On 31 July 2023, Cineworld entered administration in the UK.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2023/07/cineworld-uk-administration-restructuring-plan-1235424473/|title=Cineworld enters administration|date=31 July 2023|access-date=3 August 2023|website=Deadline|language=en}}</ref> That same day, Cineworld emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy after slashing billions of dollars in debt and the much-needed boost from the Barbenheimer box office success.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/2023/08/01/business/cineworld-regal-exits-bankruptcy/index.html|title=Cineworld exits bankruptcy|date=31 July 2023|access-date=3 August 2023|website=CNN|language=en}}</ref>
==Locations==
===Current=== {| class="sortable wikitable" |- ! Image ! Location ! Name ! Screens ! Notes |- | 120px | Bath | Little Theatre Cinema | 2 | |- | 120px | Brighton | Duke of York's | 1 | Grade II-listed, it opened 22 September 1910 and is Britain's oldest purpose-built cinema. It has a 20-foot sculpture of a can-can dancer's legs on its roof.<ref name="Dukes">{{cite web|url=https://www.picturehouses.com/cinema/duke-of-york-s-picturehouse/information|access-date=14 June 2020|title=Duke of York's Picturehouse | Brighton Cinema | Picturehouse}}</ref> |- | 120px | Brighton | Duke's at Komedia | 2 | |- | 120px | Cambridge | Arts Picturehouse | 3<ref name="Cambridge">{{cite web|title=Vive Le Cinéma!|url=http://www.mail.picturehouses.co.uk/ov/9828ff50-9abf-11ea-b264-2accb2d6508b|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200627220630/http://www.mail.picturehouses.co.uk/ov/9828ff50-9abf-11ea-b264-2accb2d6508b|archive-date=27 June 2020|website=Picturehouse (newsletter)|access-date=24 June 2020}}</ref> | The Regal Cinema opened in the city's Regent Street in 1937, was redeveloped in 1972 as a two-screen ABC cinema, and closed in 1997. Two years later, Wetherspoons installed a pub on the ground level of the building, with the Arts Picturehouse establishing a three-screen cinema above it.<ref name="Cambridge" /> The cinema hosts the annual Cambridge Film Festival.<ref name="Cambridge" /> |- | 120px | Chester | Chester Picturehouse | 6 |Opened on Friday 10 November 2023 |- | 120px | Edinburgh | Cameo | 3 | It originally opened in 1914 as the ''King's Cinema'', acquired sound in 1930, was renamed ''The Cameo'' in 1949,<ref name="EdinburghBuilt">{{cite web|title=Cinema Forever |url=http://www.mail.picturehouses.co.uk/ov/2a91a1e0-953f-11ea-b264-2accb2d6508b|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200613093650/http://www.mail.picturehouses.co.uk/ov/2a91a1e0-953f-11ea-b264-2accb2d6508b|archive-date=13 June 2020|website=Picturehouse (newsletter)|access-date=13 June 2020}}</ref> and was granted B-listed heritage status in 2006.<ref name="EdinburghListing">{{cite web|url=https://www.scotsman.com/news/b-listing-will-act-protect-cameo-2465571|access-date=13 June 2020|title=B-listing will act to protect Cameo | The Scotsman|date=21 September 2006 }}</ref> |- | |Epsom |Epsom Picturehouse |6 |Opened on Saturday 1 June 2024<ref>{{Cite web |title=Epsom Picturehouse will open Saturday 01 June! |url=https://www.picturehouses.com/blog/epsom-picturehouse-will-open-saturday-01-june |access-date=2024-08-11 |website=Picturehouses}}</ref> |- | 120px | Exeter | Exeter Picturehouse | 2<ref name="Exeter1">{{cite web|url=https://www.picturehouses.com/cinema/exeter-picturehouse|access-date=24 June 2020|title=Exeter Picturehouse | Exeter Cinema | Picturehouse}}</ref> | It was designed by Burrell Foley Fischer, opened in 1996 and has a first floor cafe.<ref name="Exeter">{{cite web|title=Exeter Picturehouse|url=http://www.mail.picturehouses.co.uk/ov/394d896a-a042-11ea-b264-2accb2d6508b|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200626120935/http://www.mail.picturehouses.co.uk/ov/394d896a-a042-11ea-b264-2accb2d6508b|archive-date=26 June 2020|website=Picturehouse (newsletter)|access-date=24 June 2020}}</ref> |- | 120px | Henley-on-Thames | Regal | 3 | |- | 120px | Liverpool | Picturehouse at FACT | 3<ref name="FACT">{{cite web|title=Inside Picturehouse at FACT|url=http://www.mail.picturehouses.co.uk/ov/91119214-ac0a-11ea-b264-2accb2d6508b|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200612073919/http://www.mail.picturehouses.co.uk/ov/91119214-ac0a-11ea-b264-2accb2d6508b|website=Picturehouse (newsletter)|archive-date=12 June 2020|access-date=12 June 2020}}</ref> | Has a bar which hosts events.<ref name="FACTbar">{{cite web|url=https://www.picturehouses.com/food-and-drink/picturehouse-at-fact/the-bar-at-fact|access-date=12 June 2020|title=MyPicturehouse}}</ref> |- | 120px] | London – Brixton | Ritzy | 5 | |- | 120px | London – Clapham | Clapham Picturehouse | 4 | |- | 120px] | London – Crouch End | Crouch End Picturehouse | 5<ref name="CrouchEnd1">{{cite web|url=https://www.picturehouses.com/cinema/crouch-end-picturehouse|title=Crouch End Picturehouse | Crouch End Cinema | Picturehouse|access-date=18 July 2020}}</ref> |Has a restaurant and bar.<ref name="CrouchEnd1" /> Its building, Rosebery House, was erected in the 1950s<ref name="CrouchEnd2">{{cite web|url=http://www.mail.picturehouses.co.uk/ov/e1509633-c843-11ea-84dc-52ab435967bc|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200718165715/http://www.mail.picturehouses.co.uk/ov/e1509633-c843-11ea-84dc-52ab435967bc|archive-date=18 July 2020|website=Picturehouse (newsletter)|title=Cinema Of The Week: Crouch End Picturehouse|access-date=18 July 2020}}</ref> as a factory and office,<ref name="CrouchEnd3">{{cite web|url=https://panterhudspith.com/project/crouch-end/|title=Panter Hudspith Architects |}}</ref> and refurbished in 2015 by Panter Hudspith.<ref name="CrouchEnd2" /><ref name="CrouchEnd3" /> |- | 120px | London – Ealing | Ealing Picturehouse | 8<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ealing {{!}} Ealing Cinema {{!}} Picturehouse Cinemas |url=https://www.picturehouses.com/cinema/ealing-picturehouse |access-date=2024-01-09 |website=www.picturehouses.com}}</ref> | Opened October 2023. |- | | London – East Dulwich | East Dulwich Picturehouse and Café | 3 | |- | |London - Finsbury Park |Finsbury Park Picturehouse | 7 |Opened September 2021. |- | 120px | London – Greenwich | Greenwich Picturehouse | 5 | |- | 120px | London – Hackney Central | Hackney Picturehouse | 6 | |- | 120px | London – Notting Hill | The Gate Cinema | 1 | |- | 120px | London – Piccadilly | Picturehouse Central | 7 |Host venue for Sundance London Film Festival.<ref name="Sundance">{{cite web|url=https://www.picturehouses.com/cinema/picturehouse-central|access-date=19 June 2020|title=Picturehouse Central | London Cinema | Picturehouse}}</ref> It has a membership scheme which gives access to a rooftop member's bar.<ref name="centralmembers">{{cite web|url=https://www.picturehouses.com/food-and-drink/picturehouse-central/the-members-bar|access-date=19 June 2020|title=MyPicturehouse}}</ref> |- | 120px | London – West Norwood | West Norwood Picturehouse | 4 | The original Nettlefold Hall was reimagined as a Library and opened by Princess Margaret in 1969. In 1970 Stanley Kubrick filmed a scene for A Clockwork Orange in the old hall. It was refurbished and opened as a Picturehouse Cinema in 2018. |- | 120px | Norwich | Cinema City | 3 | |- | 120px | Oxford | Phoenix | 2 | Originally opened as the North Oxford Kinema in 1913, became the Phoenix Cinema in 1989<ref>{{cite news|title=Cine-files: The Phoenix Picturehouse, Oxford |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2012/oct/23/cine-files-phoenix-oxford |newspaper=The Guardian | date=23 October 2012 |access-date=6 January 2026}}</ref> |- | 120px | Southampton | Harbour Lights | 2<ref name="Southampton1">{{cite web|url=https://www.picturehouses.com/cinema/harbour-lights |access-date=25 June 2020|title=Harbour Lights Picturehouse | Southampton Cinema | Picturehouse}}</ref> | Designed by Burrell Foley Fischer, Harbour Lights opened in February 1995. The building received a Civic Trust Commendation, was shortlisted for a RIBA award for architecture,<ref name="Southampton2">{{cite web|title=Not Long Now|url=http://www.mail.picturehouses.co.uk/ov/c499baa2-b63b-11ea-a45c-aa2e0f687ae1|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200625112151/http://www.mail.picturehouses.co.uk/ov/c499baa2-b63b-11ea-a45c-aa2e0f687ae1|archive-date=25 June 2020|website=Picturehouse (newsletter)|access-date=25 June 2020}}</ref> and was shortlisted for the Sunday Times building of the year.<ref name="Southampton3">{{cite web|url=https://bff-architects.com/harbour-lights|access-date=25 June 2020|title=Harbour Lights — Burrell Foley Fischer LLP}}</ref> The cinema was voted Britain's Best-Loved Independent Cinema Empire readers in 2000.<ref name="Southampton2" /> |- | 120px | York | City Screen | 3 | |}
===Former=== {| class="sortable wikitable" |- ! Image ! Location ! Name ! Screens ! Notes |- | | Ashford | Ashford Picturehouse | 6 | Lease ended in April 2024 and now run by the council as "The Ashford Cinema"<ref>{{cite web | title=Ashford: Six-screen cinema reopens under local council management | date=24 April 2024 | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c51nl2m8l3po }}</ref> |- | 120px | Aberdeen | The Belmont Picturehouse | 3 | Sold in 2014 to the Centre for the Moving Image |- | | Bury St Edmunds | The Abbeygate Picturehouse | 2 | Sold June 2014 to Abbeygate Cinemas<ref>{{cite news|title=Bury St Edmunds Picturehouse Cinema sold after competition ruling|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-suffolk-27792256|work=BBC News |date=11 June 2014|access-date=4 July 2014}}</ref> |- |120px |London – Bromley |Bromley Picturehouse |6 |House in a 1936 art deco building by George Coles, the venue became a Picturehouse cinema in June 2019.<ref name="Bromley">{{cite web |title=Bromley Picturehouse | Bromley Cinema | Picturehouse |url=https://www.picturehouses.com/cinema/bromley-picturehouse/information |access-date=4 June 2020}}</ref> It had a bar and kitchen.<ref name="Bromley2">{{cite web |title=Inside Bromley Picturehouse |url=http://www.mail.picturehouses.co.uk/ov/3d57fcc5-a5c7-11ea-b264-2accb2d6508b |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200604170213/http://www.mail.picturehouses.co.uk/ov/3d57fcc5-a5c7-11ea-b264-2accb2d6508b |archive-date=4 June 2020 |access-date=4 June 2020 |website=Picturehouse (newsletter)}}</ref> Closed August 1, 2024<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-07-04 |title=Bromley Picturehouse closure reason revealed |url=https://www.newsshopper.co.uk/news/24430545.bromley-picturehouse-closure-reason-revealed/ |access-date=2024-08-11 |website=News Shopper |language=en}}</ref> |- |120px |London – Chelsea |Fulham Road Picturehouse |6 |Formerly a Cineworld cinema, the venue opened as a Picturehouse on 8 December 2019. Closed July 11, 2024 |- |120px |London – Stratford |Stratford Picturehouse |4 |Host venue for the Sci-Fi London Film Festival and the Fighting Spirit Film Festival. Closed July 28, 2024<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-06-26 |title=Cinema set to shut after closure date announced |url=https://www.newhamrecorder.co.uk/news/24412466.stratford-picturehouse-cinema-closure-date-announced/ |access-date=2024-08-11 |website=Newham Recorder |language=en}}</ref> |- | 120px | Stratford Upon Avon | Stratford Upon Avon Picturehouse | 2 | Closed down on 5 January 2020<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.stratford-herald.com/102955-stratford-picturehouse-will-close-next-january.html|title=Stratford Picturehouse will close next January|first=Simon|last=Woodings|date=17 October 2019|newspaper=Stratford Herald}}</ref> |}
==Industrial action== {{main|Living Staff Living Wage}}
In 2014, Cineworld was subject to industrial action owing to its refusal to pay the London living wage to its staff.<ref>{{cite news|title=Cinema staff go on strike over London Living Wage|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-27955898|access-date=22 July 2014|work=BBC News|date=22 June 2014}}</ref> Started by workers at the Ritzy Cinema, Brixton, the resulting Ritzy Living Wage campaign attracted the support of Eric Cantona<ref>{{cite news|last1=Rucki|first1=Alexandra|title=Eric Cantona lends support to Ritzy Living Wage campaign|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/eric-cantona-lends-support-to-ritzy-living-wage-campaign-9521381.html|access-date=22 July 2014|work=London Evening Standard|date=10 June 2014}}</ref> and Terry Jones.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Lusher|first1=Adam|title=Nudge, nudge: Python supports ushers striking for the living wage|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/nudge-nudge-python-supports-ushers-striking-for-the-living-wage-9617566.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220526/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/nudge-nudge-python-supports-ushers-striking-for-the-living-wage-9617566.html |archive-date=26 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|access-date=22 July 2014|work=The Independent|date=20 July 2014}}</ref>
Industrial action resumed in October 2016 over the issue of the Living Wage, as well as recognition of the theatre union BECTU, parental pay and sick pay, and spread to six Picturehouse cinemas, making it the biggest strike action ever by cinema workers in the UK.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://picturehouseworkers.wordpress.com/2017/09/18/2017-picturehouse-strikes/|title=Picturehouse Strikes 2016-|last=picturehouseworkers|first=Author|date=2017-09-18|website=Picturehouse Workers' Blog|language=en|access-date=2019-01-08}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.counterfire.org/articles/opinion/19494-picturehouse-dispute-how-far-will-nero-go|title=Picturehouse dispute: how far will Nero go?|last=Smith|first=Mark D|website=Counterfire|language=en-gb|access-date=2018-10-13}}</ref> Staff at the Ritzy Cinema were represented by BECTU while other cinemas were represented by the Picturehouse Staff Forum, a company union set up by management in 2003 and later run by Picturehouse staff.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://picturehouseworkers.wordpress.com/2017/07/16/staff-forum-or-trade-union/|title=2003: Staff Forum or Trade Union?|last=picturehouseworkers|first=Author|date=2017-07-16|website=Picturehouse Workers' Blog|language=en|access-date=2019-01-08}}</ref>
Strikes continued into 2018, when workplace reps were found to be unfairly dismissed and were instructed to be reinstated,<ref>{{Cite web|date=2018-12-06|title=Tribunal rules sacked Ritzy reps must be reinstated|url=https://www.union-news.co.uk/tribunal-rules-sacked-ritzy-reps-must-be-reinstated/|access-date=2021-12-26|website=Union News|language=en-GB|archive-date=26 December 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211226132738/https://www.union-news.co.uk/tribunal-rules-sacked-ritzy-reps-must-be-reinstated/|url-status=dead}}</ref> meanwhile Picturehouse claimed that they were one of the highest paying employers in the UK cinema industry.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.picturehouses.com/pay|title=Pay at Picturehouse|website=Picturehouses}}</ref>
In 2019, following a membership vote, the Staff Forum (run by Picturehouse management) was dissolved and later removed by the Certification Officer from the official list of trade unions.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Certification Officer: amendments to the lists|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/certification-officer-amendments-to-the-lists|access-date=2021-05-13|website=GOV.UK|language=en}}</ref> BECTU also called off the company boycott, stating "BECTU members have now agreed to suspend our Living Staff Living Wage campaign and call off the public boycott to focus on fighting for equal pay at the Ritzy and continuing to challenge the dismissal of other members. We won't rest until Ritzy and Picturehouse follows suit with other cinema employers we have successfully worked with and treats all its workers fairly."<ref>{{Cite web|title=Bectu response to Picturehouse ruling|url=https://bectu.org.uk/news/bectu-response-to-picturehouse-ruling/|access-date=2021-12-26|website=Bectu|language=en}}</ref> As of 2026, Picturehouse cinemas still do not pay their frontline staff living wage.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Indeed - Picturehouse pay grades |url=https://uk.indeed.com/cmp/Picturehouse-Cinemas/salaries#:~:text=Average%20Picturehouse%20Cinemas%20hourly%20pay,per%20year%20for%20General%20Manager.}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{official website|https://www.picturehouses.com/}}
{{Major UK Cinema Chains}}
Category:1989 establishments in England Category:Cinema chains in the United Kingdom Category:Entertainment companies established in 1989 Category:Organizations established in 1989 Category:2012 mergers and acquisitions Category:Companies that filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2022 Category:Companies that have entered administration in the United Kingdom