The Tyneside Cinema is an independent cinema, which located in Newcastle city centre.
Cinema was designed by local architect George Bell and commissioned by Dixon Scott, who is “Tyneside Cinema’s founding father”.
As we know it was first opened as the "Bijou News-Reel Cinema" on 1 February 1937.
Firstly, it was commonly known as the News Theatre, which plays travel, sport, news films and cartoons. For example, it screened FA Cup Final in 1955 when Newcastle United brought home the FA Cup.
Lord Ramsbotham recalls his boyhood memories of watching the news in this building. Sheila Walker remembers seeing her father for the first time in a news theater.
From 1944 film societies began to hire the News Theatre to show European films not screened in the city’s commercial picture houses.
In 1950s, the Tyneside cinema had grown into the largest film society and demonstrating receptive audience for foreign and experimental film in the UK outside London.
In 1975, the cinema was made to close. The case for re-opening the cinema, then known as the Tyneside Film Theatre, was put together by the Tyneside Filmgoers Group.
The decorated inside the Tyneside cinema was influenced by décor from Dixon Scott’s travel in the Middle East, which meant to represent a Persian palace in Newcastle and was awash with gold, greens and purples.
The Tyneside Cinema as we know it now re-opened in 2008. Many of these features were brought back to life, such as cinema's foyer, a pair of original stained glass windows and mosaic floor tiling that had been hidden for years.
Inside the cinema
Tyneside Cinema has four screens, which are the Classic, the Electra, the Roxy, and the Digital Lounge.
The Classic is original News Theatre auditorium, now is the Tyneside Cinema’s largest space and the heart of the cinema.
The Electra screen 2008, it stadium stating layout and massive cinema screen is ideal for conferences and presentations. The Roxy is Tyneside’s cozy screen just right next door to the Tyneside bar and all decked out in green. The Digital Lounge is 4th screen and used for many of social events and private.
Moreover, the Tyneside coffee rooms is also a historic place, which opened in 1938, a year after the News Theatre. As well as this and the main screen, the building's facilities also included a private cinema, a tea club and a men-only smoking room.
In addition, there are displays of heritage items and contemporary artworks, such as the old film projector, filmstrip and so forth.
Overview on Tyneside Cinema
By Jissie
It is different from all kinds of cinemas that I have been before. I heard about Tyneside Cinema because of the famous Japanese film “Arrietty”.
Coffee rooms opened on second floor with beautiful surroundings offers customs a great place to have some food after a 2-hour film in the evening. It seems great for people who want to spend the whole evening in one place.
Even for colleges, there are programming workshops designed to get students thinking about audiences and institutions. They'll look at how cinemas get the films they screen, and why they choose the ones they do, as well as the practicalities involved in getting people to keep on coming back.
It is different from all kinds of cinemas that I have been before. I heard about Tyneside Cinema because of the famous Japanese film “Arrietty”.
It was a surprise to me that the film will be released in this cinema. As a big fan of director Miyazaki Hayao, I visited the cinema in Newcastle city centre with excitement and curiosity.
Tyneside Cinema the city's only full-time independent cultural cinema shows films all day every day. The most important feature of the cinema is the films, which are worldwide compare with America-oriented in traditional cinemas.
Different Screen
Another difference from any other traditional cinema is that there are more than one type of screen in the cinema including the classic, the Electra and the Roxy.
The classic is the beautiful art deco screen, which rebuild from a news theatre screen. Currently, it is the heart of the Tyneside Cinema.
Beside, the Electra stadium boasting seating and a little touch of history with amazing mural is a great place for conference and presentation. The Roxy, with green seats beside the Tyneside bar, is a comfortable place for a auditorium and reception-based event.
Social Life
It is not only about watching films in Tyneside cinema, people can hire and hold private or business party here as well. That makes the cinema as a place for social life in the city.
People will not disappoint to have fun here, as there is a bar inside the cinema with live music and craft fairs.
Coffee rooms opened on second floor with beautiful surroundings offers customs a great place to have some food after a 2-hour film in the evening. It seems great for people who want to spend the whole evening in one place.
Learning
Cinema is not a bad choice for dating, but here is another feature in Tyneside Cinema, it seems an opportunity for the family to have fun, as something special here for kids. There are special programs for baby weekly, and films for school children.
Even for colleges, there are programming workshops designed to get students thinking about audiences and institutions. They'll look at how cinemas get the films they screen, and why they choose the ones they do, as well as the practicalities involved in getting people to keep on coming back.
Heritage Displays
Not only films tell story, but also a broad range of heritage displays in the cinema showing the history of the cinema.
