The Electric Picture House in Wotton-under-Edge opened in 1913 and is one of the oldest cinemas still operating anywhere in the world. The building was converted from the upstairs Banqueting Room of the former Crown Inn (de-licensed in 1911), with films first shown in the building in 1913. Though the cinema closed temporarily in 1960, 1965, and 2002, it was revived each time by the local community and reopened most recently in 2005. It retains much of its original character, seats just 100 people, and is run entirely by volunteers. The cinema shows a mix of new releases, classic films, and live event screenings. It is a remarkable survival in an age of multiplexes and streaming.
“It retains much of its original character, seats just 100 people, and is run entirely by volunteers.”
