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Ever found yourself roaming around a department store and thought, ‘Do you know what? I really fancy taking a break to watch a film?’ Perhaps not, but from November a trip to Selfridges will provide you with that option.
The iconic luxury Oxford Street department store, which first opened in 1909, has announced plans for a three-screen cinema within its hallowed halls. It will be the first ever permanent cinema to open in a department store and will reportedly be open all year round, showing a mixture of blockbusters and independent films.
Two of the screens will sit around 80 people, while the third will sit around 30. The project will be co-directed by independent cinema boffins Olympic Studios, who already manage two cracking movie theatres, one in Barnes and The Archlight in Battersea. We’re also hearing rumours that the opening film will be ‘Frozen 2’.
The cinema will, of course, be accessible via the store, but if you don’t fancy making your way through spritzes of perfumes and mountains of designer handbags, there will also be a dedicated entrance on Duke Street. There will also be a membership programme, as well as a bar, which will offer visitors food and drink. No news yet as to whether you’ll also be able to scout out the Food Hall and scoop up some delightful goodies before making your way down to catch a flick.
The cinema comes after years of the department store’s mission to diversify, which has included hosting potato peeling sessions (yes, really) and x-rated pantomimes courtesy of LGBTQ+ performing arts group Sink the Pink.
‘For us this is a very exciting, yet natural extension to what Selfridges does, which is to provide customers with an extraordinary experience all year round,’ said Simon Forster, Selfridges’ managing director.
While there’s no opening date confirmed yet, it’s likely to be around the end of November. Could be the perfect respite after a hectic and horrific day spent Christmas shopping, right?
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