Top-Rated Independent Cinemas in the UK

With the sad news that Cineworld is temporarily closing all its cinemas in the UK and US, the Neo Online team decided to analyse TripAdvisor data to determine the top-rated independent cinemas in the UK. Read on to find out more…

Analysing TripAdvisor Data

Based on the top 50 suggested UK ‘attractions’ for the phrase “independent cinema” on TripAdvisor, Neo-Online analyses the number of reviews and average rating, before multiplying these figures together to form an overall score.

Ordered from highest score to lowest, the findings revealed the following:

RANK	CINEMA	LOCATION	REVIEWS	AVERAGE RATING	SCORE*
1	Tyneside Cinema	Newcastle upon Tyne	1093	4.5	4918.5
2	The Red Carpet Cinema & Café Bar	Barton-under-Needwood	1084	4.5	4878
3	Plaza Cinema	Dorchester	888	5	4440
4	Electric Cinema	Birmingham	720	4.5	3240
5	Picturedrome Cinema	Bognor Regis	677	4.5	3046.5
6	The Rex Cinema	Berkhamsted	555	5	2775
7	The Odyssey Cinema	St Albans	465	5	2325
7	Northampton Filmhouse	Northampton	465	5	2325
9	Hyde Park Picture House	Leeds	444	5	2220
10	Luxe Cinema	Wisbech	429	5	2145
11	Broadway Cinema	Nottingham	471	4.5	2119.5
12	Abbeygate Cinema	Bury St Edmunds	418	5	2090
13	QUAD	Derby	464	4.5	2088
14	Broadway Cinema	Letchworth	452	4.5	2034
14	The Light Cinema	New Brighton	452	4.5	2034
16	Century Cinema	Clacton-on-Sea	421	4.5	1894.5
17	Carlton Cinema	Westgate-on-Sea	410	4.5	1845
18	Home	Manchester	389	4.5	1750.5
19	Dominion Cinema	Edinburgh	359	4.5	1615.5
20	The Savoy Cinema	Stockport	308	5	1540
21	Queens Film Theatre	Belfast	334	4.5	1503
22	Watershed	Bristol	333	4.5	1498.5
23	Island Cinemas	Lytham St Anne’s	325	4.5	1462.5
24	The Regal Cinema	Melton Mowbray	291	5	1455
25	Lynton Cinema	Lynton	266	5	1330
26	Ritz Cinema	Belper	291	4.5	1309.5
27	Loewen Cinema	Mablethorpe	285	4.5	1282.5
28	Duke of York’s Picturehouse	Brighton	277	4.5	1246.5
29	Lighthouse Cinema	Newquay	266	4.5	1197
29	Movie Starr Cinema	Canvey Island	266	4.5	1197
31	Phoenix Cinema and Art Centre	Leicester	262	4.5	1179
32	FACT	Liverpool	251	4.5	1129.5
33	Woolton Picture House	Liverpool	214	4.5	963
34	Phoenix Falmouth Cinema	Falmouth	208	4.5	936
35	Depot Cinema and Restaurant	Lewes	198	4	792
36	Savoy Cinema	Worksop	170	4.5	765
37	Cinema City	Norwich	165	4.5	742.5
38	Picturehouse Central	London	133	4.5	598.5
39	Plaza Cinema	Liverpool	126	4.5	567
40	Genesis Cinema	London	122	4.5	549
41	The Tower Digital Arts Centre	Helensburgh	109	4.5	490.5
42	Ritz Cinema	Thirsk	101	4.5	454.5
43	Palace Cinema	Preston	88	5	440
44	Alhambra Cinema	Penrith	95	4.5	427.5
45	Lonsdale Cinema	Annan	76	5	380
46	Bathgate Cinema	Bathgate	73	4.5	328.5
47	Wellesley Cinema Wellington	Wellington	57	4.5	256.5
48	Curzon Mayfair	London	49	4.5	220.5
49	Ambassadors Cinema	Woking	70	3	210
50	Commodore Cinema	Aberystwyth	49	4	196

It’s no surprise that many cinemas have struggled during the pandemic, with new rules and restrictions in place, and a lack of new films to draw in audiences. However, many cinemas have put stringent measures in place – such as limiting capacity, ensuring social distancing, enforcing face coverings to be worn when not eating or drinking, increasing cleaning, and more – to ensure customers can still enjoy the cinema experience. We want to remind the UK public that independent cinemas also need your support at the moment, including those highlighted in our new research.

*All data correct as of 11am on 05/10/2020