The Electric Palace cinema in Hastings Old Town is calling on the local community to visit and support the cinema or it faces imminent closure.
As we have been unable to operate at our previous full capacity since reopening, and with safety measures unlikely to be able to relax anytime this year, we are facing mounting building rental costs, film licencing costs and other overheads that were previously viable when we were open at full capacity.
Unless all our current season of films sell out, the cinema will be unable to continue into 2021 and will likely close in December this year.
With this in mind I make this plea to all to help sustain this much-loved community asset.
I want to say a heartfelt thank you to all our staff and volunteers for working so hard to make the cinema feel such a safe and welcoming place in these difficult circumstances. I’ve had great feedback from our audience who are delighted to come in and feel safe in our space with other film lovers, enjoying the serenity and transformative power of watching a film in a darkened room.
I was born in Hastings and when we opened the cinema back in 2002, I didn’t dream that such a small venue would still be successfully running 18 years later! Hastings has changed and grown so much during this time, and I am proud to offer an affordable, welcoming night out – an evening that often ends with a round of applause for the film, and a post-film chat. This has always warmed my heart.
With the security of our customers at the forefront of our mind, we are selling only 15 tickets per event so everyone is ensured of a two-metre space around them. However, these safety measures mean that we are currently running at a big loss. We need every screening filled up, and we need extra support from you to donate to us, or become an official friend of the cinema through our website.
I am passionate about The Electric Palace cinema, because it helps to keep the appreciation of cinema alive in its most provoking, challenging and entertaining forms. Through sharing stories both big and small, cinema helps connect us to our communities, as well as to people around the world. The Electric Palace is a very special place with a rich and colourful history, and it has brought so many people together.
Please support us now. Come and enjoy a film that might be outside of your usual comfort zone, and help keep our doors open.
How you can help:
- Book a ticket to a screening, soon! And bring a friend.
- Become an official Friend of the Electric Palace
- Hire the cinema for a private party
- Buy a gift voucher
- Donate to the cinema
- Support us on social media by sharing our posts and events
Thank you.