The Luxe Cinema Explained

Luxe Cinema
Native Name:The Luxe
Owner:Picturedrome Electric Theatre Company Ltd.[1]
Location:Wisbech, United Kingdom
Address:Alexandra Road, Wisbech, Cambs. PE13 1HQ
Location Town:Wisbech
Location Country:United Kingdom
Coordinates:52.6633°N 0.1591°W
Renovation Date:2019

The Luxe Cinema is a cinema in Wisbech, Isle of Ely, Cambridgeshire, England.

History

The cinema is located in Alexandra Road, this Road also is the location of the Angles Theatre, and the former Selwyn Theatre. Along with the Wisbech & Fenland Museum, Wisbech Library, Wisbech Castle, St. Peters Church, hall & gardens and The Crescent this area of the town constitutes the 'Cultural Quarter'.[2]

The Luxe cinema was converted from a redundant Women's Institute Hall and opened in March, 2009 styled as a luxury cinema with leather armchairs and two-seater sofas, and ‘premier’ sofas with service. It has a licensed bar.[3] The Women's Institute branch now (2019) meets in the Rosmini Centre, Queens Road.[4]

The town's last operating cinema the 'Unit One' (previously The Hippodrome) had been demolished in the 1980s to make way for the Horsefair shopping centre development that opened in 1988.[5]

On 23 May 2014 an eight-screen cinema was opened near the new Tesco store, Cromwell Road by The Light Cinemas chain.[6]

The Luxe was part of 'The Brinks Festival 2015' hosting 'The Secret World of Charles Darwin' by Magic Circle Comedy Award winner Ian Keebler on Monday 18 May.[7]

In 2015 The Goob an award winning Independent film shot across the Fens, was shown followed by an audience question and answer session with film director Guy Myhill and Martin Ferguson.[8]

In 2016 Leverington Primary Academy pupils created animated films as part of the children's arts award with Trinity House to achieve the Gold Standard and attended the official screening in June 2016.[9]

Currently a single screen cinema, ownership changed in August 2017.[10] Becoming part of the Picturedrome cinema group alongside cinemas in Blackwood, Bognor Regis, Clacton on Sea, Devizes, Dorchester, Wednesbury and Westgate on Sea.[11]

In October 2018 the digitally remastered vintage war footage film They Shall Not Grow Old was shown in the run up to the 100th anniversary of WW1.[12]

In March 2019 the cinema launched 'Wisbech: Made in Minecraft', the town brought to virtual life by Bunny Schindler and Adam Clarke.(https://github.com/collusion-org-uk/minecraft-wisbech)[13]

The cinemas also functions as an arts centre. It has hosted groups including a games club, the poetry group Wisbech Stanza and the Friends of Wisbech & Fenland Museum.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Luxe. www.picturedromecinemas.co.uk. 31 December 2019.
  2. Web site: Wisbech. www.visitcambridgeshirefens.org. 31 December 2019.
  3. Web site: The Luxe. www.cinematreasures.org. 31 December 2019.
  4. Web site: Wisbech Centre. www.thewi.org.uk. 31 December 2019.
  5. Web site: Hippodrome Theatre. www.cinematreasures.org. 31 December 2019.
  6. Web site: Light Cinema. www.cinematreasures.org. 31 December 2019.
  7. News: Art showcased at Wisbech Festival. Fenland Citizen. 13 May 2015.
  8. News: Wisbech cinemas screens The Goob. Fenland Citizen. 29 July 2015.
  9. News: Oscars Ceremony. Wisbech Standard. 23 June 2016.
  10. News: Stories of the silver screen. Wisbech Standard. 25 August 2017.
  11. Web site: Luxe. www.wisbechcinema.com. 11 October 2022.
  12. News: Fen students to sell poppies. Wisbech Standard. 30 October 2018.
  13. News: Wisbech 2019:Made in Minecraft. Wisbech Standard. 22 March 2019.