Everyman Cinema ~Holmes Mill, Clitheroe.

Although my heart belongs to small independent cinemas ( see my post about The Palace in Longridge) ,it has been hard for me to resist the twinkly lights of a shiny new Picture House , recently opened in my home town. The Everyman Cinema chain prides itself on its lifestyle choice ethos ~ watch a film from a comfy sofa with food & drink orders delivered straight to your seat. All this comes at a price of course. Including an online booking fee , a movie ticket will knock you back £12-85. A friend and I decided to take in a midweek Downton Abbey matinée, a guilty pleasure in itself. 😁

The new Everyman Cinema is situated at Holmes Mill , just a stone’s throw from my house. Already home to a beer hall, food hall, bistro & boutique hotel ,the sympathetically converted mill is quite the perfect location for a quirky three screen cinema.

My friend and I were a little early for the showing, so we sat and relaxed with a drink in the spacious lounge area. The decor here is retro chic. Having just watched The Shining on TV the night before, I giggled as I gazed at the funky floors and furniture, they really did remind me of the interior of the Overlook Hotel. 😁

We didn’t opt for food brought over to our seats, but if you do fancy eating, the menu includes pizzas, sharing plates and Spielburgers as well as sweet treats such as popcorn & ice-cream. You can even come to the restaurant just to eat, or enjoy a cocktail maybe, without seeing a movie.

And what of the comfy sofa seating? It is indeed very roomy and relaxing with cosy cushions, plenty of leg room and there are wide arms & small tables to place your food and drink on.

Unlike your typical Vue Cinema no adds were shown before the feature, just trailers. I do love trailers, almost as much as the film. 😁. Downton Abbey by the way was great, just like a double Sunday night episode with lots of Maggie Smith’s wit.

I was quite prepared not to love Clitheroe’s new cinema, but actually it is good that the town has one again. Save me a seat for an occasional treat, I might just turn up on the day though, and hopefully waver that expensive booking fee!

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Palace Cinema ~ Longridge, Lancashire.

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. 🙂

An unassuming exterior. Image off Pinterest.

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.

Movie Reels.

Adjoining bar.

Bijou foyer with ice cream counter. Image off Pinterest.

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. 🙂

Waiting for the film to commence.

Happy customers.

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

www.thepalace-longridge.co.uk

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!

10 random things to do in Manchester this spring

This English Rose has put together a fab top ten of things to do in Manchester.Half of these I didn’t know existed! From donkey sanctuarys to duck races, escapology to picnic hamper afternoon teas. Have fun reading. 🙂

English Rose from Manchester's Blog

1. Say hello to the donkeys

I think donkeys are possibly the loveliest things ever and I’ve been a supporter of The Donkey Sanctuary for about a year now as they do such a great job with donkey welfare worldwide. I was so excited when I realised that they have a centre right here in Manchester – it’s a Donkey Assisted Therapy Centre and is open to the public 7 days a week. I went last Easter and enjoyed meeting and stroking the lovely donkeys there.

2. Take part in the duck race

Manchester’s duck race down the river Irwell takes place on Good Friday in Spinningfields. It’s free to attend and enjoy the festivities and entertainment, and just £1 to enter a duck into the race, with proceeds going to local children’s charity, Brainwave.

3. Break out of a locked room in 60 minutes

I’ve now broken out of…

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