London’s best cheap cinemas

It's more than 20 since Peckhamplex instituted its cheap ticket policy, and while it has crept up ever so slightly since it launched, there are no signs of it getting close to some of the relatively megabucks prices charged elsewhere yet. It's not just the £6.99 per ticket price that is beloved here, but the south London institution's general old-school-to-its-core vibe. It's the sort of place where the audience like to interact; tears, laughter, singalongs and dressing-ups are common. Alongside the standard blockbuster fare, you'll find independent and foreign language films, special events, directors Q&As and National Theatre Live – all priced at £6.99. The location's handy for the station, and the snacks are as reasonably priced as the tickets. Don't go changing, Peckhamplex.

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London’s wildly popular Leicester Square ‘retroplex’ - home of the all-night movie marathon – the Prince Charles is also one of its cheapest, with tickets starting at just £1 for members. There’s no such thing as a typical day at the PCC, where you might catch a 4K restoration of an anime classic, alongside a rarely screened Taiwanese gem, followed by screenings of Heat or Casino topped off with a sprinkle of something from Béla Tarr or David Lynch, before watching every Lord of the Rings film back-to-back through the night. Its uniqueness is in its variety – with over 800 films screened over two screens – making it the perfect gateway for every burgeoning cinephile, and a great way to fill those gaps in your Letterboxd account. Arguably the best way to get access to all of this while saving a few quid is to pick up the cheapest Cinema Membership in Central London! £15 a year (£60 for life), you will instantly receive a minimum of £3 off every regular ticket, and local discounts aplenty!

If you’re looking for a cut-price cinema in the East End, look no further than Whitechapel’s beautifully-renovated Genesis Cinema. Prices have recently increased, but tickets are still more than competitively priced at only £5 Monday to Wednesday (unless the film you want to see is in studios 4 and 5, in which case £10). On Thursdays it’s £7.75 (£11 for Studios 4 and 5), and weekends are a little pricier, with full-price tickets costing £12 (£15). That’s still a good deal, and even if you don’t have a film on the menu, the upstairs bar is terrific, with good music, pulled pints and proper hotdogs, including a vegan option.

As the name implies, this isn’t the place you go to catch Timothée Chalamet’s latest – you’re more likely to see some silent Charlie Chaplin, swooning French and Italian classics or moody films noir. But your ticket does allow you to browse 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 £8 to £12 – most being £10. Highlights include pre-Code eye-openers, trash cinema, LGBT+ films, plus Kennington Bioscope's screenings of silent movies with live piano accompaniment. Throw in quarterly meetings of societies devoted to Buster Keaton and Laurel & Hardy and you’ve got a dream destination for cinephiles.

Celebrating 20 years as a charity community hub connecting diverse audiences to an equally varied programme of contemporary culture, Shoreditch’s Rich Mix boasts three cinema screens showing everything from independent films and blockbusters, plus curated seasons of films with tickets at discounted prices. Year-round offers include £9 per ticket all day Mondays (£7 for Rich Mix members), £7 Mondays and Tuesdays for locals, plus family deals, a blue light special for NHS staff, Bectu and Equity union discounts and even combo deals on drinks and snacks.

Hackney’s Rio is to film what the nearby Empire is to comedy, theatre and music. Since the first film screening on the site in 1909, it’s been a leading light of independent cinema in the capital, and recently celebrated its 50th year as a community-led charity. Hosting film festivals, live events, LGBTQ+ soirées and special screenings for carers and babies, seniors, families and differently-abled audiences, it also boasts a Dalston discount: £8 for tickets (normally £13) all day on Mondays, and a 2-for-1 deal for members on Wednesdays that doesn’t require you to pretend to want insurance, but does require an annual £50 subscription.