Penny Blood's Black Book – My Independent Guide to London - Penny Blood's eclectic collection of favourite places in London to drink coffee, eat cake, have tea, eat out, buy clothes, watch movies, kill time, read Voltaire, quote Baudelaire and write this blog.

Let it be known in no uncertain terms that I will never under any circumstances go anywhere near a multiplex cinema. I would rather trek to north London to a little gem known as the Phoenix Cinema. Built in 1910 and surviving two world wars, it’s believed to be the oldest purpose built cinema in Britain. It’s plush red velvet chairs, unique art-deco auditorium and bar serving sweets and homemade cakes make it one of the most charming cinema’s around. Although nowhere near where I live I do find myself going there to catch the better breed of films that don’t make the rounds of the more centrally located cinemas. The last thing I saw was a gypsy film but Tony Gatliff called Transylvania. It was so depressing and on leaving the cinema I got shouted at by an old lady on the street for standing too close to her. A short walk away is Bishops Avenue, home to London’s most ostentatious mansions of Arab arm dealer, Beverly hills meets Dubai ridiculously over the top, glamorous and gaudy tackorama, where no house is older than 10 years as each new owner just buys the plot, brings in a bulldozer and joins the ongoing competition as to who can create the biggest heap of brick, bile, glitter and glass.

http://www.phoenixcinema.co.uk/

Phoenix Cinema, 52 High Road, East Finchley, London, N2 9PJ
020 8444 6789

Related posts:

1. Aubin Cinema
2. Rio Cinema
3. Coronet Cinema
4. The Electric Cinema
5. The Gate Cinema