Cineworld Cinema - Hammersmith

207 King Street,
London, W6 9JT

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Showing 1 - 25 of 30 comments

thomas_roo
thomas_roo on May 24, 2024 at 12:40 pm

the cinema actually closed on April 14th

rivest266
rivest266 on May 28, 2021 at 12:19 pm

May 25th, 1975 Grand opening ad as ABC 1 2 & 3 King St. Hammersmith posted. the 4th screen came later.

rivest266
rivest266 on May 28, 2021 at 12:06 pm

Grand opening ad posted.

Alan Baker
Alan Baker on May 28, 2019 at 1:00 pm

The Regal Hammersmith is a rare (possibly unique) example of a purpose built ABC which, for decades, did not play the ABC release. In the absence of an Odeon cinema in Hammersmith, the Regal played the Odeon release while the ABC release played the Commodore and the Broadway (and the Gaumont release obviously played the Gaumont). When Rank reorganised its circuits in January 1959 the new Rank release went to the Gaumont, leaving the Regal with the National release or off circuit releases. It was not until the Commodore closed in 1963 that the Regal finally played the ABC release.

GPM10
GPM10 on March 11, 2019 at 6:11 am

Visited the site a number of weeks ago, sadly unlike the much more recently demolished Cineworld Chelsea the only ‘progress’ seemed to be a wraparound placed on the exterior (presumably by the local council) showing an artist’s impression of the proposed replacement cinema. This will be though a much larger job : there will be a very substantial retail and residential element to the rebuild, though local agitation at the loss of a very popular facility has seen the council announce that the rebuild of the cinema will be a priority. Nearby, up the road in Chiswick, plans to convert the old Rambert Dance Studios to a five-screen cinema have been revived and construction is understood to be in hand, with a possible opening before the end of 2019. It seems that Picturehouse Cinemas are no longer attached, though, and the cinema will be a stand-alone independent.

Zappomatic
Zappomatic on January 26, 2018 at 6:14 pm

And some more https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dYGIl8b1Yo

Zappomatic
Zappomatic on January 26, 2018 at 6:06 pm

Footage from the MGM Hammersmith in 1995 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Rs3RhrGyqE

GPM10
GPM10 on January 22, 2018 at 6:59 pm

Update on this site : tragically, no sooner was this magnificent cinema demolished than the plans to re-develop the area fell through spectacularly. The local council though are going through the planning process again to gain permission for housing and a new four-screen cinema which, unlike the original plans, will be built on the site of the old cinema. Given vocal unhappiness from the near-residents, the new cinema could be built as early as this summer (2018) – but I wouldn’t hold my breath. The Picture House Chiswick plans for the site straight up the road from here have apparently been permanently shelved, adding to the paucity of viewing options in the Chiswick/Hammersmith direction.

SethLewis
SethLewis on April 6, 2017 at 1:55 pm

I’m not sure there will be a big rush for Curzon, Picturehouse or Everyman to come in with new screens in the old BBC complex in Shepherd’s Bush due…I agree that the Western corridor is underscreened in terms of quality films not in terms of blockbusters when you have 5-7 screens in the two Vues showing the same product

Zappomatic
Zappomatic on April 6, 2017 at 10:58 am

Reading up on this, apparently MGM spent £1.5m refurbishing this cinema in the early 90s including restoring the exterior, removing the false ceiling from the foyer and practically rebuilding the auditoriums from the ground up. There was such an overspend that Ealing (demolished by Empire) didn’t get its proposed bar!

GPM10
GPM10 on April 6, 2017 at 6:58 am

Sad to update that, less than 50 weeks after closure, this wonderful cinema has been demolished – the clearing site is massive, and reminds you just how big this place was. Of all of London’s cinemas, this was personally my most loved, and I estimate having seen a high three-figure sum of films here between 1992 and 2016 having lived in nearby Bayswater between 1995 and 2004 and continuing my journeys there after leaving the area. There has been zero work on the ‘replacement’ Curzon (planned for next door) and much uncertainty about the building of the Picturehouse Chiswick cinema (straight down the road in the old Rambert Dance Studio) so it seems that one cinemaless year on, the local residents will have little to service their filmgoing needs in the short to medium term at least. Ealing all over again, methinks.

Zappomatic
Zappomatic on March 8, 2016 at 6:19 pm

Closing down mid-April

SethLewis
SethLewis on February 26, 2016 at 9:58 am

Sad to know that this being demolished…rarely go there now that we have 26 Vue screens in Shepherds Bush…still nothing then through Hammersmith and Chiswick (this latter could likely support an art house or 2)

SethLewis
SethLewis on November 9, 2014 at 9:50 am

Still going ‘strong’…some Polish programming in view of neighbourhood demographic as well as blockbusters

Billy
Billy on March 23, 2014 at 11:55 pm

And still open as of March 2014, as mentioned friendly staff but with an interior seemingly unaltered for at least about 20 years. A bit like stepping back in time.

d8rren
d8rren on November 22, 2013 at 7:11 am

still open november 2013 with some of the friendliest staff your ever meet in a cineworld

eggplant_casserole
eggplant_casserole on April 12, 2012 at 8:27 pm

Apparently Cineworld will be closing this cinema in 2013.

Ian
Ian on September 28, 2010 at 5:54 am

Compare the sc2 upstairs view with this 1988 circle shot! :–

http://www.flickr.com/photos/stagedoor/5032145079/

Also a shot of the exterior around dusk from 1988 with the Cannon signage:–

http://www.flickr.com/photos/stagedoor/5032765272/

woody
woody on December 11, 2009 at 6:35 pm

photos taken on the CTA visit in december 2009
exterior
http://www.flickr.com/photos/woody1969/4163587622/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/woody1969/4162831635/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/woody1969/4163622714/
the rear of the building showing its huge scale
http://www.flickr.com/photos/woody1969/4163540862/
lobby with its deco detailing
http://www.flickr.com/photos/woody1969/4162835037/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/woody1969/4162838731/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/woody1969/4163532160/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/woody1969/4162776535/
ceiling detail
http://www.flickr.com/photos/woody1969/4162766885/
lower stalls lobby
http://www.flickr.com/photos/woody1969/4162848309/
circle lobby
http://www.flickr.com/photos/woody1969/4163602072/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/woody1969/4162759951/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/woody1969/4162756639/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/woody1969/4162762979/
sc2 upstairs
http://www.flickr.com/photos/woody1969/4162750461/
sc4
http://www.flickr.com/photos/woody1969/4162845769/
sc3
http://www.flickr.com/photos/woody1969/4162855935/
the original proscenium area with grills and ship mouldings damaged but still there – and painted a horrific blue and yellow colour scheme – all now hidden behind the four auditoriums built within the shell of the original auditorium
http://www.flickr.com/photos/woody1969/4162793843/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/woody1969/4163546982/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/woody1969/4163564110/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/woody1969/4162799295/
fly tower and stage area
http://www.flickr.com/photos/woody1969/4162783937/
dressing room corridor
http://www.flickr.com/photos/woody1969/4163578934/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/woody1969/4163575252/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/woody1969/4163571236/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/woody1969/4163567194/

RonFernee
RonFernee on March 6, 2009 at 11:51 am

I’ve lived in Chiswick since 1986, and I’ve witnessed the cinema close down for refurbishment and then reopen under a different name many times. But it would always get so dilapidated so quickly. It has never lost its “Hammersmith Flea Pit” tag. Learning that it’s owned by Tesco explains a lot! We need a decent cinema in this area. Shepherds Bush is too far and rather dodgey at night. If it had a proper, caring management and regular publicity (as well as more competitive pricing), I’m sure it would be a success. As Tina Turner might say, “We don’t need another Tesco”!

woody
woody on February 11, 2009 at 6:33 am

there was also talk in 2007 of a 4 screen cinema being built on King St as a replacement for the Cineworld
View link

SethLewis
SethLewis on February 10, 2009 at 1:48 pm

There has been a talk of a Tesco supermarket in this location for quite some time. It’s a perfectly serviceable fourplex where over the past few years I’ve seen The Fog of War, Scary Movie 3, The Loony Toons Movie, Bad Santa, Mystic River and probably a couple more while I was recovering from surgery.

For anyone resident in the Chiswick corridor this is the closest option besides Richmond, for those of us now closer to Shepherds Bush we have the 12 screen Vue with some brave programming and coming soon a 12 screen National Amusements Cinema delux in the Westfield Mall…So the end may finally be near for this one

Ian
Ian on February 10, 2009 at 2:47 am

No that is the same cinema.

woody
woody on July 14, 2008 at 8:36 am

six months later the canopy still has a wonky letter P
View link