Huge blockbusters like ‘Oppenheimer’ and ‘Barbie’ have seen people flocking to cinemas over the last 12 months. You might even say that filmhouses have been enjoying a bit of a revival. Sadly, though, Greta Gerwig can’t save them all. Even a place as historic and richly storied as the UK’s oldest working cinema has now rolled its final credits.
The Electric Cinema in Birmingham has been screening films since 1909 but had its last showing yesterday (February 29). It’s now set to be shut for the foreseeable future.
We don’t know many details yet but apparently anonymous sources have previously raised worries about the cinema’s future. B’ham’s annual Flatpack Festival has been using the iconic Art Deco venue for the past 18 years but organisers were told that it isn’t available this year because the building’s lease has come to an end. The cinema owners still haven’t actually made an official statement.
Officials from Southside Business Investment District have expressed ‘dismay’ at the closure, while tributes to the 104-year-old filmhouse have been pouring in on social media.
Really don’t know what to say about the news that the Electric Cinema in Birmingham is closing. So many wonderful memories there. It’s been an incredible place to see independent movies for as long as I can remember (apart from the pandemic ofc) and I’m devastated
— Hannah (@_hannahvbryan) February 29, 2024
You've probably heard by now that the Electric Cinema has closed again. Doubtful it will reopen.
— David Baldwin (@dbaldwinfilm) February 29, 2024
I have complex feelings about that building related to my time there (and its former owner), but it is a significant loss to the city.
Time Out’s take
Time Out’s travel editor and resident Brummie Grace Beard said: ‘This latest closure is yet another blow to arts and culture in Birmingham, which is being slowly crushed by funding cuts. The Electric was one of Birmingham’s most-loved venues. As a child, I always looked forward to catching that first glimpse of its iconic Art Deco sign as we made our way down from New Street station to watch a film. Those sunbeams were a beacon of joy. With its oldest cinema shuttered, the UK’s cultural heritage has suffered a huge loss today.’
It may be too late for the Electric Cinema, but the UK has a whole host of other beautiful indie filmhouses you can still support. Find the very best near you with Time Out’s list of the UK and Ireland’s finest cinemas.
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