Hackney Picturehouse

‘Like all of our cinemas, the Hackney Picturehouse will be all about serving the local community,’ insists Gabriel Swartland, Head of Communications for City Screen. ‘There’s been a strong desire for a cinema in Hackney, and since we’ve announced our arrival that’s been borne out by the reactions of local people, which have far exceeded our expectations. So hopefully we can exceed their expectations with what we deliver.’

Hackney Picturehouse is being constructed in what used to be the troubled Ocean music venue on Mare Street, opposite the Town Hall. For the past few months it’s been little more than a building site but gradually the interior is beginning to take shape. Wooden planks are being arranged in descending rows, there are flat walls where the screens will be and the only sign of the building’s former incarnation are some aquatic-themed light fittings. But not all traces of the old Ocean are being swept away. ‘We’re mindful of the building’s heritage,’ Swartland says, ‘and we want to maintain a link with the musical element. We’ve even put in an application to allow standing room in one of the screens, so you could use that space for gigs. That’s in addition to the upstairs bar, which is already set up for live music.’

Indeed, Hackney Picturehouse is likely to be of interest as much for its extracurricular elements as for the films it screens, housing an art gallery, an open-plan street-level café which will serve from breakfast right through the day, and two bars, one of which doubles as the aforementioned music space. ‘We want local artists to exhibit, local musicians and local comedians to come and perform,’ says Swartland. ‘Expectations of an evening at the cinema are changing. We want a venue that’s completely versatile.’

In an area like Hackney, getting to grips with local life is of vital importance. It hasn’t escaped Swartland’s attention that the new cinema stands opposite one of London’s most iconic community arts spaces, the Hackney Empire. ‘We’ve met several times with the Empire,’ he tells me. ‘It feels like there’s a natural synergy there. We can find ways to support their programming and we’re already looking at the film schedules to look for ways we can cross over. Also, through our membership scheme, we’re forging links with local galleries, restaurants and bookshops. We want to make sure we involve as many businesses and community groups as possible.’