Vikki C.
Yelp
This is the cinema that made me start a cinema blog!
This place is banging. Period.
On a scale of one to 'the best cinema to have around the corner from you, ever', the Electric sits firmly on the epic-win end. Now I'm living in Notting Hill, it's a few minutes away, and really, I'm pretty spoiled to be able to call it my 'local'.
I've been visiting the Electric for years, which is owned by the Soho House Group (SHG) and sits in the same space as Electric House and Electric Diner. Of all three, I think the cinema is the biggest draw. While brunch in the Diner is nice, the Portobello Road mainstay is one of the oldest working cinemas in the UK, mixing old school glamour with SHG's trademark polish and plush decor.
Opened originally in 1910 and getting a HUGE 2m remodel in 2001 (funded by Monsoon founder Peter Simon no less), the listed-building is now one of London's most loved cinemas.
As with most luxury cinemas, tickets are hardly cheap, but with Secret Cinema pushing the top end of the price bracket further and further upwards (read: taking the piss), the £18 cost for one of the 65 armchairs with side tables and footstool doesn't seem too bad. Especially when multiplex seats go for around £14, and you'd pay more for an IMAX showing.
On top of the armchairs (which drop to £15.50 on a Monday and £15 on a Sunday), there are six front row beds - yes, actual beds - you can pick up for £30 standard rate and three two-seater back row sofas for £45.
As you'd expect, there's a bar that opens 10 minutes before the advertised programme time, serving cocktails, wine, beer and champagne. There's also hot food and snacks galore, plus a super-cute retro pick & mix stand out in the foyer. To benchmark, a burger will cost you a tenner, wine starts at £15/bottle, so it's not too pricey.
The Electric is also home to SHG's Edible Cinema concept, which pairs classic films with a multi-course tasting experience. I went to the Romeo & Juliet showing earlier this year (actually held at BAFTA), but tickets sell out FAST when they're back on home turf. Well worth signing up to the newsletter as details for upcoming events get distributed there first.
If you're after a civilised cinema experience in plush surroundings, minus the kids throwing popcorn, this is definitely your best bet.