Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!

Crouch End Picturehouse Signals Opening with Launch Party

With the opening planned for this Friday, the Picturehouse Crouch End showed its first film this evening at its pre-opening a launch event.

The main foyer with its bar and cafe - here in party mode

The cinema stands on the former site of the 'Perfect Picturehouse' which was open for just four years between 1925 and 1929. More recently it was the offices of the now defunct Hornsey Journal*.

The new incarnation has a total of just over 600 seats across five screens ranging in size from just 12 to over 100.

It doesn't take long to appreciate the seating at the Picturehouse. It's not only comfortable, you can slide the seat part forward and recline the back. And, if you're going as a couple, grab one of the double sofa seats.

In addition to the ground floor bar / cafe area, there's also a bar on the first floor.

First Floor bar

On the top floor, as well as the nifty 12 seat screen 5, there's a community room. From what manager Tom was telling there are plenty of community events and talks planned. So I'm sure it'll be getting good use.

I liked the feel of the place and I'll certainly be going back. (Oh and by the way, Bridge of Spies is well worth seeing!).

Colourful stairways take you to the upper screens and the Community Room

* See correction update on this in comments below

0 members like this

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by matt on November 26, 2015 at 8:39

Different local alternative to WG screens or going into town.

Folk are clearly being encouraged to become members. Can't see any family membership option so, assuming a family of 4 pay 2x £95! For those interested in Star Wars you can't get tickets for at least the first week unless you shell out that membership money. Luckily we are booked in for the Curzon experience :)

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Philip on November 26, 2015 at 9:15

You wait years for a cinema and then two come along....not quite sure what the score is with Arthouse next door. Surely there aren't enough half-decent films to occupy two cinemas? With Everyman taking over the Muswell Hill Odeon(yip yip!) I would love to think we will be spoiled for choice(plus Phoenix!) but I suspect it will be multi-plex fodder time....

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Michael Anderson on November 26, 2015 at 13:11

We went to see Lady in the Van at the Muswell Hill Everyman last weekend and forked out a bit more for a sofa. Highly recommended.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by 1l77xsexiediw on November 27, 2015 at 9:31

I think the people of Crouch End will have to choose between the Arthouse (owned by two local people) or the Cineworld owned PH. Tickets at the Arthouse are £11 yet the PH is charging £13, but the former pay their staff properly (London Living Wage) yet the corporate PH don't.

I know where my money will be spent and I am sure my neighbours are savvy enough to see through their 'community' cinema PR claims

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by vaneska on November 26, 2015 at 11:00

Actually the Hornsey Journal offices were in the building the other side of Kwikfit, next to the Arthouse Cinema.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Hugh on November 26, 2015 at 11:36

Thanks Vaneska. The tricks our memories play! So this building was Roseberry House and I can't remember who the tenants were. Anyone?

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by vaneska on November 26, 2015 at 12:54

Manky offices with a strange dark carparking space below. The old Hornsey Journal building is actually rather charming and actually looks like it might have been something like a cinema in the past. Sadly it is still disused at the moment. By the way it's Rosebery with one 'r'. As a resident of Rosebery Gardens opposite I'm only too sensitive to the confusion with Roseberry Gardens N4!

The extraordinary thing about the new cinema structure is how they retained the original horrible office building (and therefore the probably lucrative phone masts on top) and just bunged a new fascia on the front and then built a massive new structure behind it. There was no easy access for construction work so it must have taken far longer than usual, cost something unimaginable and required the most enormous crane. I honestly don't understand the economics of the whole thing. I can't see how a cinema could be that profitable.