The Tyneside Cinema

~ Newcastle-upon-Tyne ~

Since the 2006 closure I had been a regular visitor to the cinemas temporary site within the Old Town Hall at Gateshead, an impressive but inevitably limited one screen location.

Now however, the old cinema is back in a marvellous new form. Fresh but with many more of it's original 1930's features uncovered and restored. There is a whole new third screen, the latest fixtures throughout the building and an overall perfect blend of the old and the new. There are small exhibitions and information panels, a refitted cafe and a new bar, plus a good range of toilet facilities, at last.

~

My original article of 2006 can be seen below

The Tyneside Cinema in Newcastle has for some time been a landmark of the city, indeed a valuable regional asset and a regular haunt of mine for nearly four years. It is rare and welcome alternative to the mainstream offerings of multiplexes and presents an opportunity to see a variety of independent and foreign films, often one of the few cinemas anywhere in the British Isles in which these can be seen. It also hosts occasional film festivals and other special events, including photography shows and related auctions.

The cinema is located in the centre of the city, though somewhat concealed by it’s position on Pilgrim Street, so named as it was once the site of a Franciscan monastery and later, a mansion known as Newe House that became a prison for Charles I following the English Civil War.

The cinema itself was designed and built in the art deco style by Dixon Scott, a local cinematic pioneer in 1937. As it’s fortunes changed it eventually closed, later to reopen in 1968 as a British Film Institute (BFI) supported cinema. Following another unpopular closure the current Tyneside Cinema was opened in 1976 as a result of widespread public support.

The building currently houses a popular cafe bar on the ground floor, along with the Classic, the principle 267 seat screen with it’s original and very elaborate 1930’s decoration. On the several floors above this can be found the Digital Lounge for small, special screenings, another cafe bar and the Empire screen where recently I enjoyed the new release, ‘Brick;’ a crime drama very much of the film noir genre, set in the seemingly unlikely but successful location of a modern high school.

At present there is an appeal for funds to help extensively remodel the cinema with new screens, better facilities and greatly increased access for the disabled.

I hope that this venue remains an appreciated and necessary feature for this region for many decades to come.

Tyneside Cinema
10 Pilgrim Street
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE1 6QG