The Regent Street Cinema, just 1 minute north of Oxford Circus, was re-opened by the University of Westminster in May 2015, reinstating one of the most historic cinemas in Britain to its former grandeur.
Built in 1848 and housed within the Polytechnic Institution on London’s Regent Street, the cinema was the first in the country to show moving pictures. In 1896, the cinema showcased the Lumière brothers’ Cinématographe to a paying audience, and, as the curtain fell, British cinema was born.
After being used as a student lecture hall by the university since 1980, it was restored into a working cinema featuring a state-of-the-art auditorium as well as an inclusive space for learning, cultural exchange and exhibitions. It is a truly landmark venue for the British film industry in the heart of London’s West End.
Regent Street Cinema are dedicated to both engaging with our legacy and ensuring it for future audiences and filmmakers.
On entering the Regent Street Cinema you will be greeted by the friendly staff with an eclectic selection of drinks, sweet treats and nibbles to keep you going throughout our double bills and screenings. Keeping in line with the international scope of the programme they offer a large selection of wines and spirits from around the globe. The bar is a perfect spot to gather pre-film and to meet for the essential post film discussions.
Open:
– weekdays 5pm – 10pm
– weekends 1pm – 10pm