The Ultimate Picture Palace in Oxford, UK, requires a lease extension past 2037 to be able to carry out key renovations and make the most of grants for energy efficiency and accessibility.
Film lovers could be at risk of losing one of the UK’s oldest independent cinemas, due to lease renewable issues.
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East Oxford’s Ultimate Picture Palace first opened in 1911 and has since been a beloved cultural hub for generations of residents and students alike.
With a capacity of 106, it boasts a charming and nostalgic vibe with a manually opened curtain and an old-timey box office. The UPP has also hosted the likes of Oscar-winning director Sam Mendes.
However, the cinema is now facing an uncertain future, as its landlord, the University of Oxford’s Oriel College, is unwilling to extend the Grade II-listed building’s lease to undergo much-needed renovations.
Although the UPP is now a community-owned business, its long-term future depends on the Oriel College extending the lease past 2037.
This would allow the UPP to make critical renovations and take advantage of grants that would enhance accessibility and energy efficiency. The cinema has seen a surge of 25% in its operating costs in the last four years and continues to deal with financial concerns.
“This lease was agreed recently in 2022 with a new registered society. We have no plans to amend the lease at this early stage in the tenancy… We continue to be in dialogue with the new managers about how to ensure the cinema remains open to the wider public,” a spokesperson for Oriel College said, as reported by The Guardian.
Oriel College also owns several other east Oxford properties and has plans to expand.
This highlights the worsening “studentification” trend, which shrinks independent third spaces for locals and puts a number of popular and historic spots at risk.
Back in March, a petition and campaign to save the UPP was launched, which amassed 22,000 signatures.
