Chamber Breakfast with The Duke of York Cinema

The event was packed, again, at Brighton’s Carluccio’s, for the Chamber Breakfast. Great company, great food!

 

Our May speaker was the Duke of York’s cinema’s General Manager Felicity Beckett.

 

 

Felicity extolled the joys of independent cinema, the fact that the Duke of York’s is the Adam and Eve of cinemas in the UK, being the longest continuous operating picture house in the country.  Brighton's first purpose built cinema opening on 22nd September 1910 with a showing of George Albert Smith's 'Byways of Byron' (G A Smith was a pioneer Hove film maker with a studio in St Anne's Well Gardens and later in Wilbury Villas). It has been the focal point for the community of Brighton over the course of it’s existence, and also with a brief, dubious reputation for being “The Flea Pit”, showing French Porn to a few discerning customers, for a while! Now the building is a Grade II listed building.

 

 

Felicity explained to us the financial struggles cinema has generally faced, and how the cinema owner has found a way to maintain the independent nature of the Duke of York’s, whilst ensuring the financial stability required to show a mix of children’s, main-stream block busters, and culturally diverse films. The Picture House is now funded via a nationwide cinema complex owner, but complete autonomy is still in the hands of the Duke of York’s owner. This means that the local needs can be heeded, the provision for film, and other events kept in a local to Brighton context.

 

The energy with which Felicity told us about all the other things the Duke offers made me, in particular, want to buy a membership of the cinema right then! People now get married in the cinema, have special meetings, great food and drink, and with plans for public use tables and chairs outside, what’s not to like?! 

 

And of course, the iconic stripped stockinged legs a top the cinema.

 

 

In 1991, the 20 ft pair of can-can dancer's legs were acquired from the recently closed Not The Moulin Rouge Theatre in Oxford, and were installed onto the outside front balcony. These were later moved to their current position on the roof during a refurbishment in 1995. Hard to miss, and an eye catching land mark for a century plus old fully working cinema in the heart of Brighton.

 

The prize draw at the Brighton Chamber Breakfast event was, a much coveted year’s membership to the Duke of York’s. Great place, great prize!