Catford Mews cinema opens with plans to regenerate the High Street

Really Local Group aims to restore cultural infrastructure to the UK’s ailing high streets through regeneration and renewal projects and cinema is a huge part of their plan. Catford Mews is their pilot project and it opened to much excitement in September. It’s a brand new independent entertainment venue in Catford, South London.

Preston Benson, Founder of Really Local Group has been quoted as saying that there’s no truly local cinema in London anymore. There are multiplexes or boutiques – multiplexes are expensive and boutiques are exclusive. Preston wanted to create an affordable boutique experience. Really Local Group are focused on improving high streets and surrounding areas and aim to help by choosing areas to build in that have few cultural amenities, by recruiting for their cinemas from the local communities, encouraging local arts and entrepreneurs in to work in the space, investing a fixed percentage of profits back into the community and ensuring their venues are accessible to all. The focus on accessibility means that ticket prices are drastically lower than other cinemas, Catford Mews tickets average at £6.50.

Catford Mews has been built onto a former retail premises site in Catford town centre. The 14,000 sq ft venue was recently launched at an opening party and has created a real buzz in the local community. The venue has a three screen cinema, a food market and space for live music and comedy. The team have really considered the experience and have created a space where going to the cinema is a proper evening out. Instead of the usual cinema fare they have encouraged local vendors into the pop up food market. Current delicacies include vegan Scandi-inspired deli, Jamaican patties, Japanese street food and vegan doughnuts.

The screening rooms at Catford Mews are a joy to visit. Equipped with the best in audio visual equipment in spaces just the right size to offer the big screen experience in an intimate environment. And the chairs are super comfy too (always important!).

Choosing the right technology and installers for the cinema screens at Catford Mews was a hugely important part of the build. Really Local Group worked with suppliers Future Projections for projectors, speakers, screens and installation across the 3 cinema screens. Future Projections are one of the UK’s leading providers to the Cinema and Theatre industry and they recommended Medialease to provide asset finance for the project. Using asset finance for the technology meant that Really Local Group had the reassurance and certainty of an affordable monthly payment.

Space was at a premium and the original design of the screening rooms had two projection rooms taking up lots of valuable seating and floor space. Future Projections were able to get involved at ground level in the planning stage and advised that instead of small projection rooms the best solution would be to hang the projectors visibly over the main access corridor. This fits in with the industrial feel of the space (and looks really cool!). It has increased seating capacity, screen sizes and avoids installing boothless enclosures, cooling or lifting gear. Everybody wins!

Barco DP2K projectors were chosen for each screen – they are the quietist projector on the marketing making it ideal for this location and space. They are also economical to run due to the UHP lamps used.

Really Local Group has multiple regeneration projects in the pipeline from 2020 onwards. The next project to open its doors will be in Reading and there are another 3 sites in the offing in the near future. Expect to see more truly local independent cinemas popping up to breathe new life into the UK’s high streets in the coming years.

This is an exciting movement by Really Local Group that is part of a growing trend to revive the traditional cinema going experience and bring it up to date, it aims to provide an attractive alternative to streaming services at home. They recognise part of the appeal is not just about watching a blockbuster – these independent spaces allow the flexibility to showcase other forms of art and to be flexible with the technology used, this creates the perfect audio visual experience each time. This is great for emerging technologies and emerging talent alike and we look forward to the next chapter.

Contact us to discuss finance for cinema technology on 01327 872531 or email us at sales@media.lease