I don’t know about you, but I have always loved going to the cinema. Yet shamefully in years gone by I have almost abandoned this film themed treat, for the comfort of watching movies ( whilst munching on kettle chips) all snug on the sofa at home.
As a child and teenager my memories of the Pictures, meant a trip into Clitheroe to the Civic Hall Cinema ( a long time closed now) where you would sink into red velvet covered seats and queue in the aisles for sweets and ice creams, sold by usherettes. The very same usherettes ( quite stern old ladies) would shine torches at you if you were misbehaving during the film ;). I for one was always mesmerised , as soon as the red velvet curtains swished open and the familiar Pearl and Dean music filled the theatre, I was engrossed in movie heaven. Modern film multiplexes just don’t have the same appeal. I was intrigued then, when I heard that the market town of Longridge near Preston still retains its original old cinema. A trip to this iconic building was a must! I immediately booked a matinee showing of the new Mary Poppins film for myself, my sister and my nephew and niece. 🙂
The Palace Cinema is apparently one of the oldest surviving cinemas in the North West and is tucked away between terraces on Market Place. When I told my niece and nephew we were looking for the Palace, I think they envisioned a colossal castle, not a cute little Picture House. We parked on a nearby street and followed a few families , who looked like they were heading somewhere welcoming and warm.
I had booked our tickets online and simply showed my phone to one of the attendants. However you can purchase tickets at the Palace as well. After bagging our seats ( they are the original red velvet covered ones 🙂 ) in the packed auditorium, my sister and nephew headed to the foyer to buy drinks and popcorn. I was pleasantly surprised that paper straws were provided with our cold drinks and that they are served in paper cups and recyclable cans. Tea and coffee in china cups are £1.
Before the feature started an apologetic attendant told us that the adds, trailers and National Anthem wouldn’t be played that day, as they had got lost in the cloud. This did make me chuckle. Its sweet that the National Anthem is part of the whole cinema going experience here. Soon we were all lost in the whimsical and splendiferous Mary Poppins Returns, which is well worth seeing by the way. 🙂
The Longridge Palace retains all the charm of a vintage cinema with quirky touches and modern ideas , such as mother and baby screenings, film and book club evenings and adjoining café and bar.
Palace Cinema ~ Market Pl, Longridge, Preston, PR3 3RR
We really enjoyed our trip to the Palace. I definitely hope to return, as I loved the whole cosy and nostalgic experience.
Do you have an old original cinema near you? Maybe its time to pay it a visit!
sunshine and celandines 
How lovely! There’s something charming and a little bit glamorous about an old fashioned cinema, always enhances the experience. ☺
Definitely. I’m going to try and make it out to the cinema more often now, and choose independent old fashioned cinemas like this. Longridge Palace is lovely. 🙂
Lovely review. I don’t think there are many old cinemas in Liverpool nowadays. Most have been replaced with multiplexes. It’s nice when you find a gem though. I remember a holiday in Louth and they even paused the film mid way for drinks and snacks. x
Found an independent cinema in Woolton still surviving since 1927. May pop down one day and see what the experience is like. Thanks for the idea xx
Oh fab, it would be nice to hear about that! X
Ha, yes I remember that happening in Clitheroe too! X
What a lovely treat. We have an old fashioned cinema in Malton. only half the original size but still there, and serving hot drinks in proper mugs.
Wonderful! It’s great these places still exist. 🙂 X
There used to be lots of cinemas here in my town – The ABC, Odeon, Capitol, Queens, The Bell, The Lido, to name a few – but sadly all gone long ago. There’s a multiplex not far from home, one on an out-of-town retail place and most recently one in the town centre but I haven’t been to any of them. I loved the old places when I was a child and a young adult but now with all the surround sound systems I find them far too noisy – the last film I saw at a cinema was Babe – Pig In The City!
Well that’s a while ago now. 😉
The old places are definitely the best in my opinion. I was really surprised to find one so close to home. Maybe there is a small independent cinema hiding somewhere near you! X
How nice! I passed through Longridge a few days ago but didn’t know about this gem. Lucky you! 🙂
I think it’s recently been took over and the new owners are really trying to continue with the traditional feel of the place, with some quirky touches. I loved it. X
There’s the old one in Keswick, called the Alhambra or something like that. I’ve been there and it has the old red velvet seats as well.
I have seen that. I would really like to visit it!
We have a lovely old cinema, run by the Kino franchise. You can take wine into to theatre, or good coffee. But no popcorn! Interestingly, there is a new Ashford Picture House, which is clearly trying to copy this model, with a trendy bar and tapas and fifties styling, but it is a multiplex. I love going to the cinema, and I thought the new Mary Poppins was very good (though perhaps a little stern without the Julie Andrews sparkle).
That’s lovely. The Palace is the same, though you can take in popcorn. Saying that, the manager does say she spends alot of time on her hands and knees sweeping up the popcorn, so that must be a pain. I hope your old cinema isn’t adversely affected by the new one. It sounds fab. X
I’d love to visit this. I love old cinemas too x
They have much more atmosphere than the modern ones. X
We used to have two independent cinemas near us – The Grosvener is still there, but The Salon has been turned into a restaurant. The city centre has The Glasgow Film Theatre and other than that it’s multiplexes. However, the last one I went to was one of the ones in Ambleside (Zeferelli’s or Fellini’s, can’t remember which is which) where we got a very good dinner and film deal.
I’ve seen the one in Ambleside and a friend has been and loved it too. I’m glad Glasgow still has a couple of original cinemas. It’s good to have a choice. X
It sounds like you had a lovely outing! I envy your old cinema. We only have one left in the city I’m from (where I don’t live any longer), and they pretty much only play movies at Christmas, but it’s always a fun treat to go. I can’t easily go to the movie theatre much these days with a small baby, so I look forward to watching Mary Poppins Returns once it’s available via iTunes. Although I will say, I am such a July Andrews fan that I have my reservations about anyone replacing her!
You will love Emily Blunts Mary Poppins too I’m sure, though nothing beats the original. You could look for a mother and baby screening. That’s actually a thing at Longridge. I will have to look out for a dog friendly screening. Ha. 🙂
Oh it looks lovely. You can’t beat a trip to the old style cinemas..the modern ones have none of their charm !!
It was lovely with such a great atmosphere. 🙂
What a lovely old cinema!! Here in our little city we have the same theatre from my childhood. But it’s been thru growing/aging pains. Briefly it was divided down the center to create two theatres—we used to joke you’d get two movies for the price of one as the sound from the movie next door would bleed thru. Now it’s been remade into a more modern cinema with reclining chairs—very nice but I have a reclining chair at home!! A new cineplex is currently under construction, to have three screens I think. I’m not sure how our community will support all those screens but time will tell. There is a similar theatre in Saskatoon, a larger city 130k away, quite vintage, but not as nice as yours. How lucky you are 😊
I’ve only just discovered it, so definitely a happy discovery for me. Its great you still have an original cinema playing. Sometimes they just need to move with the times to keep up with customers demands. Hope the new cinema doesn’t mean the end of the old one. X
This sounds like a wonderful cinema! I never go to the ‘big’ cinema (odeon, vue…) and I very rarely watch a film at all but I do love going to a little independent cinema in Wirksworth called The Notehern Light. They haven’t shown anything I’ve wanted to see for a while so I haven’t been for too long and now feel a bit guilty as I’ve found out it’s not financially viable as it is so the owners are trying to diversify slightly. I’m really hoping it can stay open.
I really hope so. The Longridge one has had to think of new ideas like film and book clubs, yoga classes, plays,mum and baby screenings, cafe, ice-cream parlour etc X
The Northern Light sounds like a lovely place.
That should read Norther Light, not Notehern! I wish you could edit comments!
Oh no… Northern Light! Third time lucky eh?!
Sorry!
That sounds like such a lovely day out! I don’t get to the cinema anywhere near as much as I’d like to but maybe a vintage one is the way forwards! This isn’t too far away either 🙂 x
The Palace does a good selection of films. I will definitely go again! X
Looks and sounds like a proper treat, just like going to the cinema used to be. So much has been lost in the modern multiplex places – I daren’t leave my seat to go to the loo during a film now in case I can’t find my way back!