Ritz Cinema

Queen Street,
Penzance, TR18 4BJ

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DavidSimpson
DavidSimpson on July 30, 2026 at 2:02 am

I visited the Ritz on Monday 27 July 2026 for a screening of the classic Civil War drama “Gone With the Wind” (thankfully, film screenings form part of the varied entertainments that are on offer). The building has been the subject of an absolutely superb restoration: photos don’t really convey just how stunning it is - it certainly has the ‘wow’ factor!

The flat floor stalls have been laid out cabaret-style. For this screening the dance floor was also set out with tables and chairs, giving a cinema capacity downstairs of around 160. But even more impressively, a 102-seat circle has been added, with four rows of 25 seats plus two in a very short fifth row. So it was possible to enjoy the screening from more ‘traditional’ cinema seating.

I hope the revitalised Ritz goes from strength to strength!

PhilipWW
PhilipWW on September 2, 2025 at 7:07 am

Reports on the BBC and elsewhere that its re-opening is imminent.

popcorn_pete
popcorn_pete on September 2, 2017 at 12:48 pm

As of August 2017 cinema remains boarded up, a local business says it was last in use as a nightclub.

paulc1948
paulc1948 on July 12, 2016 at 5:25 pm

The Compton Organ at the Ritz Cinema Penzance was opened by Harold Ramsay who met the young local organist Dudley Savage. Dudley was signed by Harold Ramsey to tour the Union Cinemas . Reginald Foort did appear at the Ritz in 1947 for a charity concert.

20Shadow20
20Shadow20 on September 16, 2013 at 12:45 am

The Ritz Penzance has been brought by Merlin Cinemas (which also owns and runs the Savoy Cinema in Penzance). Merlin will work with the Ritz Community Centre Trust to find a viable use for the former Ritz Cinema.

http://www.cornishman.co.uk/Penzance-Ritz-saved-bulldozers-thanks-minute-buy/story-19453808-detail/story.html

shadow15
shadow15 on June 25, 2012 at 10:16 am

There’s a brilliant website, with loads of pictures and information about the Ritz, here:

http://ritzpenzance.com/page1.html

eceleticandveryinspired
eceleticandveryinspired on April 24, 2011 at 7:49 am

There seems to be a campaign to save the ritz.since the summer of 2008

imgurl=http://www.bbc.co.uk/cornwall/content/images/2009/06/26/ritz_inside_203jpg_203x152.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.bbc.co.uk/cornwall/content/articles/2009/06/26/history_ritz_feature.shtml&usg=__Vs0t1hUuxUKDXFKqlBtWtMcwnTQ=&h=152&w=203&sz=15&hl=en&start=15&zoom=0&itbs=1&tbnid=Dq1fKYh_K9XzLM:&tbnh=79&tbnw=105&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dritz%2Bpenzance%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DG%26gbv%3D2%26tbm%3Disch&ei=eyW0Td2rAYyCvgOC1NGcBw