University of Westminster’s Regent Street Cinema and Soho Poly opened their doors as part of the annual Open House Festival in London to showcase its unique and significant place within the history of cinema and theatre.
On Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 September, Regent Street Cinema welcomed over 260 visitors to its Open House Festival event. The Cinema hosted presentations by members of the University Record and Archives Team, which led attendees through the building’s history across nearly two centuries: from its beginnings in the 1830s displaying magic lantern shows at the Royal Polytechnic Institution, to its later reputation for avant-garde films, including the first X-certificate film screening in the 1950s. Following the presentations, the archivists answered further questions about the Cinema’s past, and attendees explored its Art Deco interior.
The audience were also shown a recording of the Cinema’s original 1936 Compton Organ in action, as well as footage of the Lumiere Brothers’ film, L'arrivée d'un Train en Gare de La Ciotat. This was the first ever screening of a film to a paying audience in Britain at the Polytechnic Theatre in 1896.
Many visitors remarked that they did not know the Cinema existed before and intended to visit again soon. Colleagues at the cinema commented: “We had very positive feedback from the guests who were visiting, and it's just so pleasing to see so many new faces getting to know the Cinema and its history, who will hopefully come back to enjoy a movie!”
Our restored arts venue, the Soho Poly, also welcomed festival attendees on the Saturday. Westminster academics and artistic directors of the venue Dr Matt Morrison and Professor Guy Osborn accompanied visitors on a tour of the historic venue, delivering a presentation and facilitating a Q&A session afterwards.
Dr Matt Morrison, Senior Lecturer in Creative Writing, said: “We were delighted to welcome visitors to the restored Soho Poly as part of Open House. We had over 50 visitors to the space, including people who remembered it from its 1970s heyday, local Fitzrovia residents, and writers and performers excited to know about a new London Arts venue. We were very proud to show off a historic venue that was at risk of being lost for good, and now has such a bright future ahead.”
Read more about events since reopening the Soho Poly in 2023.
Find out more about the University’s heritage.
Photo credit: Tunmiji Osibodu
Photo credit: Mark Norton
Photo credit: Nadim Kurimbokus
Photo credit: Mark Norton
