The Hebden Bridge Picture House: A Review

 

The Hebden Bridge Picture House first opened its doors in 1921, and barring a few short periods of refurbishment, it has not once been closed down. Today, it is a very successful independent cinema, screening films every evening with matinee showings on the weekend.

Décor:

From the outside, Hebden Bridge is a pretty spectacular building, all grand stonework and classical pillars. The interior is equally impressive; the walls and seats are the standard shade of red that’s commonly found in most of these older cinemas, with gold ornamentation lining the walls. It’s not a particularly distinctive design choice, but it is a popular one.

Seating:

One of the refurbishments made in 1978 actually removed about half of the cinema’s seating. However, with a capacity of 490 people, as far as independent cinemas go, the Hebden Bridge Picture House is still pretty damn big. What’s more, by removing all of those extra chairs, the ones that remain have a very generous amount of leg-room.

There is also a large balcony area in which audience members can choose to sit if they wish.

 

 

Films on Show:

There is a tendency for independent cinemas to devote themselves entirely to one style of cinema, usually focusing on either independent films or choosing to screen the latest Hollywood blockbusters that will draw in a bigger crowd. Surprisingly however, Hebden Bridge has a nice combination of both. For the devoted cinephiles out there who enjoy seeing latest art house flick, there are films like Belleville Rendezvous; for those simply looking for an entertaining evening at the pictures, there is also Godzilla.

Price wise, it’s pretty average – at £6.50 for an adult it’s slightly more costly than some other cinemas in West Yorkshire, but still cheaper than your standard Vue or Odeon.

Alongside this, they also broadcast live theatre and music, opera and ballet.

Other Information:

Every Thursday morning Hebden Bridge puts on a special ‘elevenses screening’, in which audience members get to see an independent film at a discount price. They’re also given free tea and biscuits, so there’s really no reason not to go.

It’s also available for hire both by the community and commercial enterprises, meaning that there’s often the occasional live comedy or music night thrown into the mix. For example, alongside showings Godzilla and the foreign language Ilo Ilo, the next few weeks will also see Hebden Bridge play host to a performance by Simon Amstell and an alternative cabaret act by the Tiger Lilies.

Visit www.hebdenbridgepicturehouse.co.uk for more information and for current listings.

Adam Button

Part of Adam’s ‘Yorkshire’s Independent Cinemas‘ series for TSOTA. View the full series HERE