London’s best cheap cinemas

London’s most fun cinema – it’s home to regular singalongs – is also one of its cheapest, with tickets starting at £1 for members. It’s great for catching up on recent multiplex hits, arty vintage classics and indie oddities. But best of all are the famous all-night movie pyjama parties. From back-to-back teen flicks and Arnie marathons to the complete works of Wes Anderson, these dusk-till-dawn happenings are the Prince Charles’s stock in trade. Not all screenings are under £10 (the all-nighters most definitely aren’t). But you can still some of cinema’s most classic gems for £10.50 or less – and if you buy a £15 annual membership it all gets even cheaper.

It’s years since PeckhamPlex instituted its cheap ticket policy, and while it has crept up ever so slightly since it launched, there are no signs of it getting close to some of the relatively megabucks prices charged elsewhere yet. It’s not just the £5.99 per ticket price that is beloved here, but the south London institution’s general old-school-to-its-core vibe. It’s the sort of place where the floor’s a bit sticky with spilled Fanta, and there are always teenagers snogging in the back row. The film line-up is standard blockbuster fare – action movies, superhero flicks and the odd Oscar-worthy drama – but the location’s handy for the station, and the snacks are as reasonably priced as the tickets. Don’t go changing, PeckhamPlex.

The people of Whitechapel should think themselves lucky, having the beautifully renovated Genesis on their doorstep. If you’re looking for a cut-price cinema in the East End, look no further. Weekday screenings are a steal at £6.75 Monday to Thursday (unless the film you want to see is in studios 4 and 5). Weekends are a little pricier, with full-price tickets costing £10.50. Still, that’s as good a bargain as you can hope to find in most of London. And the upstairs bar is terrific.

Tucked away at the back of the Stratford Centre (Westfield’s down-to-earth neighbour), you’ll find the cheapest of the Picturehouse boutique chain’s cinemas. Tickets are £8 all day every day, with a choice of classy blockbusters, Oscar-y drama, audience-friendly foreign titles and the occasional classic. In the mood for something even more high-brow? You can also catch live broadcasts of operas and theatre shows, though these tend to be a bit pricier than the average movie screening. Oh, and there’s a bar serving booze, coffee and snacks. The family ticket (two adults, two kids) is amazingly priced at £21. Older visitors can join the Silver Screen club for even cheaper tickets and free tea or coffee.

As the name implies, this isn’t the place you go to catch Vin Diesel’s latest – you’re more likely to see some silent Charlie Chaplin, an afternoon of swooning French classics or an evening of indie shorts. But your ticket does allow you to nose round the amazing museum packed with memorabilia and film artefacts, which is worth the price on its own. Ticket prices vary depending on the event, but generally range from about £5 to £8. Highlights include the VITO Project series of LGBT+ films, or Kennington Bioscope's screenings of old silent movies, accompanied by live soundtracks. It’s a dream destination for cinephiles.

Catford Mews is one of the London cinema scene’s newest kids on the block, having opened in 2019. Since its launch, it's been touting cheap tickets for everything from big blockbusters to indie hits and kid-friendly favourites. Tickets are £8.99 six days of the week, apart from Tuesday’s “Treat” price of £5.65 – an initiative that truly lives up to its name. If you plump for a £35-a-year membership, you’ll get five free cinema tickets, 20% off all other tickets and food and drink, access to members-only events, and a three-month free trial with MUBI for when you don’t fancy leaving the house. If all that film watching leaves you famished, there are five local traders on hand providing grub, as well as a café and bar. There is even a community room and a live music space (which has a late license), all with the aim of supporting and nurturing local talent and entrepreneurs. Sounds heavenly to us.