Comments from Billy

Showing 1 - 25 of 48 comments

Billy
Billy commented about Vogue Cinema on Jan 17, 2024 at 11:41 am

Not just yet, it’s been paused for at least six months after a building preservation notice, so it still stands: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-68011946

Billy
Billy commented about Curzon Chelsea Cinema on Nov 7, 2023 at 9:33 am

Still closed as of November 2023, but the development seems to be approaching completion and Cadogan’s website suggests a 2024 reopening date.

Billy
Billy commented about Curzon Ripon on Sep 19, 2023 at 12:15 pm

This cinema closed permanently on July 1st 2023, citing the challenging trading conditions since the pandemic and the cinema not recovering as Curzon would have hoped.

Billy
Billy commented about Kavanagh Cinema on Aug 30, 2023 at 5:32 am

The last day of 35mm projection at this cinema was Sunday 3rd November 2013, it has been digital since then. A video from that day can be seen at https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=E9jWpvYq8vY .

Billy
Billy commented about Minema Cinema on Jul 28, 2023 at 4:09 am

Looking at Google Street View, all traces of the Minema were demolished during the major rebuilding of the Berkeley Hotel in 2020, today a new building stands in its place.

Billy
Billy commented about Regent Cinema on Jul 17, 2023 at 3:50 am

I’ve uploaded two visits in September 2020 and June 2023 to the Photos page. The cinema remains closed but still standing, some noticeable refurbishment work has been done in the three years which can be compared. At least one cinema poster still remains from the 2016 fire in the foyer.

Billy
Billy commented about Apollo Cinema on Dec 3, 2022 at 4:18 am

Closure date appears to have been 18th January 2001 from online sources.

Billy
Billy commented about Cineworld Cinema - Wembley on Oct 6, 2022 at 8:52 am

This cinema was refurbished in December 2019, adding 4DX seating (replacing D-Box) and relocating the upstairs Starbucks to the ground floor.

Billy
Billy commented about Piccadilly Cinema on Dec 3, 2019 at 1:31 pm

This image is from 2005.

Billy
Billy commented about Fulham Road Picturehouse on Dec 3, 2019 at 12:51 pm

Opening slightly delayed to Sunday, 8th December.

This was my workplace from 2017 to earlier this year, looking forward to seeing the results of the refurbishment!

Billy
Billy commented about Fulham Road Picturehouse on Oct 7, 2019 at 7:42 am

Final evening of being a Cineworld was Sunday 6th October 2019, estimated reopening as a Picturehouse sometime in November.

Billy
Billy commented about Prince Charles Cinema on Nov 21, 2018 at 4:25 pm

Visited today for the first time in a few months and noticed a significant refurbishment has taken place, in the foyer and especially the toilets which are much more modern and nicer looking. Still a brilliant cinema with excellent 35mm presentations, £1 member tickets and all-night themed movie marathons.

Billy
Billy commented about Cineworld Cinema - Chelsea on Apr 28, 2018 at 1:48 pm

Demolition began in early 2018 and the site has now been mostly cleared. A photo has been uploaded from April this year.

Billy
Billy commented about Vue Shepherd's Bush on Nov 19, 2017 at 11:22 am

I’m astonished that this has lasted so long when there’s been another Vue literally minutes down the road in Westfield for seven years. Together that’s a huge 32 screens, but films often duplicate in both cinemas.

Billy
Billy commented about Empire Cinemas - London Haymarket on Nov 3, 2017 at 1:57 pm

Can’t be many other London cinemas that cheap – Prince Charles’s lowest tickets start at £4.50 for weekday matinees (Member price), and Empire Walthamstow is still £3.95 on Tuesdays, possibly Sutton too when that reopens next month.

Billy
Billy commented about Closing night, exterior on Mar 10, 2017 at 7:56 pm

The readograph stopped being used around 2013 (along with most Cineworld cinemas) and I’m not sure there were any staff left who knew how to change it. A closure notice like Staples Corner would have been nice though.

Billy
Billy commented about Cineworld Cinema - Chelsea on Mar 10, 2017 at 8:20 am

https://www.flickr.com/photos/billy_hicks/albums/72157677855312853

A gallery of the cinema on its final day of service, including screens, AV and staff areas.

Billy
Billy commented about Cineworld Cinema - Chelsea on Mar 2, 2017 at 5:47 pm

Seating capacities at closure were 205, 226, 113 and 104.

The films shown on the final day are confirmed to be ‘Kong: Skull Island’, ‘Hidden Figures’, ‘John Wick: Chapter 2’ and ‘Logan’. Plans were made to show a series of classic films on the day of closure, including ‘The Rocky Horror Picture Show’ which would have been perfect given the site’s history, but sadly it wasn’t able to happen.

A small if friendly cinema I’ve been proud to call my place of work for the last several months, and as the many hundreds of customers who watched ‘La La Land’ here in recent weeks will prove, a popular site until the very end. King’s Road and its residents will miss it greatly.

Billy
Billy commented about Cineworld Cinema - Wembley on Mar 2, 2017 at 5:14 pm

The first film shown at this cinema was ‘Justin and the Knights of Valour’ at 2:20pm, 24th October 2013. As the cinema launched with little ceremony it played to an audience of just two people!

Business was slow at first due to lack of customer awareness and the nearby established Cineworld at Staples Corner. Popularity after the initial few weeks increased greatly, particularly amongst Bollywood and Tamil film fans as a significant amount of Indian films are shown here, leading to Staples Corner’s eventual closure in 2016. A large window overlooking Wembley was added to the foyer wall in January 2015, significantly increasing natural light to the space.

Projection has been fully digital from the beginning along with D-Box seating in Screen 7.

Billy
Billy commented about Cineworld Cinema - Wandsworth on Feb 22, 2017 at 3:25 am

4DX seats were added on 9th December 2016, London’s first cinema to receive them.

Currently undergoing a major refurbishment, still ongoing as of February 2017 but looking brilliantly modern already!

Billy
Billy commented about MGM Oxford Street on Feb 14, 2017 at 9:32 am

Zavvi closed in early 2009 at this location.

Billy
Billy commented about Empire Cinemas - London Haymarket on Jan 11, 2017 at 6:02 pm

All three movies were January 1998 release dates in the UK, so probably Jan/Feb that year.

Billy
Billy commented about Empire Cinemas - London Haymarket on Jan 11, 2017 at 5:59 pm

Probably February 1999 (Bulworth 22/01/99, YFAN 12/02/99 and TGAAG 29/01/99).

Billy
Billy commented about Solihull Cinema on Jan 9, 2017 at 3:44 pm

This cinema closed in about 1990.

Billy
Billy commented about Queen's Cinema on Nov 28, 2016 at 5:43 pm

This cinema closed in June 2014, and as of November 2016 remains empty and derelict.