Chiswick Cinema Says Second Phase Of Works To Begin Soon

Set to announce details of a Founder Members' scheme

CGI of the 'Chiswick Lane' Picturehouse plan

The Chiswick Cinema team say that they plan to start the second phase of works on the project shortly.

Locals were beginning to wonder if the plan was doomed again as nothing had been heard in recent months. However, the team have now posted on their social media platforms, saying they are still on course to open.

Posting on Facebook and Twitter, they said, "Happy New Year! 2019 will be an exciting year as we are planning to start the 2nd phase of works which will be the main phase of construction on the new cinema.

"We will also be launching our Founder Membership. Will post more details in the next few weeks."

Builders were to move into the former Ballet Rambert premises last November but it is not known what work has been carried out.

Newly-appointed Marketing Manager, Katie Gilbert, says that The Chiswick Cinema will shortly offer local people the option to become Founder Members.

The details of the Founder Member scheme will be available next month. When the cinema opens, there will then be a system for people to take out annual membership.

The usual format with Founder Members, (as seen in Picturehouse cinemas) is for the first few thousand people to join to get their names integrated into a Founder Members' Wall. They generally get benefits of one year or more membership and invitations to first look screenings, previews, and Premiere or discounted tickets.

There will also be other forms of membership options.

Lyn Goleby at the Green Days fete in 2018

The new cinema also hopes to have live broadcasts, such as the New York Met Opera.
The design plan is for an independent five screen cinema, with a terraced bar and cafe. The largest cinema, Screen One, to have 127 seats, while the fifth screen would be private viewings.

The project has taken several years to get off the ground largely due to difficulties getting agreement between the freeholder of the site and the cinema backers.

This agreement was concluded in June 2018 between cinema entrepreneur, Lyn Goleby, the co-founder and former Managing Director of the Picturehouse chain. She left Picturehouse in 2017 after twenty-five years, to pursue new interests in independent cinema in the UK.

Picturehouse originally bought the 6,500sq ft dance studio site at 96-98 Chiswick High Road from Rambert Dance Company for £1.5 million in 2013. The Picturehouse chain was subsequently acquired by Cineworld and the Chiswick project was taken over by Ms Goleby's company Jubilacion Ltd. You can go on their Facebook page for further updates.

January 13, 2019