London’s best cheap cinemas

London’s most fun cinema – it’s home to regular singalongs – is also one of its cheapest, with tickets starting at £1 for members. It’s great for catching up on recent multiplex hits, arty vintage classics and indie oddities. But best of all are the famous all-night movie pyjama parties. From back-to-back teen flicks and Arnie marathons to the complete works of Wes Anderson, these dusk-till-dawn happenings are the Prince Charles’s stock in trade. Not all screenings are under £10 (the all-nighters most definitely aren’t). But classic movies tend to be £10.50 or less – and if you buy a £15 annual membership it all gets even cheaper.

It’s years since the PeckhamPlex instituted their £4.99 per ticket policy, and they’ve shown no sign of raising it. A south-London institution, this beloved multiplex is old-school to the core. It’s the sort of place where the floor’s a bit sticky with spilled Fanta and there are always teenagers snogging in the back row. The film line-up is standard blockbuster fare – action movies, superhero flicks and the odd Oscar-worthy drama – but the location’s handy for the station, and the snacks are as reasonably priced as the tickets. Don’t go changing, PeckhamPlex.

The Walthamstow Empire is your standard multiplex – you won’t find a fancy bar or a chi-chi sofa here. The reason to go is the almost-an-IMAX Impact screen – eye-poppingly huge with great sound. Adult prices are a bargainous £6.99 at off-peak times and £9.99 at peak, though they do go up a bit if you’re after the Impact experience. Plus, if you're after a kids' movie, there are daytime family films at the unbeatable price of £2 a ticket.

The people of Whitechapel should think themselves lucky, having the beautifully renovated Genesis on their doorstep. If you’re looking for a cut-price cinema in the East End, look no further. Weekends get a little pricier (full price tickets are £12). But weekday screenings are a steal, at just £6.50 Monday to Wednesday, and only £3 on Thursdays. That’s as good a bargain as you’ll find in London. And the upstairs bar is terrific.

Tucked away at the back of the Stratford Centre (Westfield’s down-to-earth neighbour), you’ll find the cheapest of the Picturehouse boutique chain’s cinemas. Tickets are £8 all day every day, with a choice of classy blockbusters, Oscar-y drama, audience-friendly foreign titles and the occasional classic. You can also catch live broadcasts of operas and theatre shows, though these tend to be a bit pricier than the average movie screening. Oh, and there’s a bar serving booze, coffee and snacks. The family ticket (two adults, two kids) is amazingly priced at £21. Older visitors can join the Silver Screen club for even cheaper tickets and a free tea or coffee.

As the name implies, this isn’t the place you go to catch Vin Diesel’s latest – you’re more likely to see some silent Charlie Chaplin, an afternoon of swooning French classics or an evening of indie shorts. But your ticket does allow you to nose round the amazing museum packed with memorabilia and film artefacts, which is worth the price on its own. Ticket prices vary depending on the event, but generally range from about £5 to £8. Highlights include the VITO Project series of LGBT+ films, or Kennington Bioscope's screenings of old silent movies, accompanied by live soundtracks.