Forum topic: Palmers Green Cinema & Theatre

Palmers Green once had a local Cinema and Theatre well, is it not now the time for their revival in the area?

After all our population has grown which includes many families with young children and such lovely entertainment would help enrich the residents lives subsequently, enlivening the areas community spirit altogether .

A theatre could be both a Community and Professional Theatre and should not impinge on the programmes at the Intimate Theatre in PG for youngsters.

Understandably, small local Cinemas which were competing with the big the blockbuster style cinemas are more or less finished however, local cinemas could offer residents and visitors something even better with an exciting contemporary programme which should including the Cannes festival films.

Personally, I often travel to the Southbank BFI with my family and friends for non type of blockbuster films and I am sure there are many people just like us who love to see a better selection of films, even old those old classics are magical on the big screen at the cinema.

In PG we’re hugely fortunate to have locals who invested their own time and money in setting up a not for profit local cinema - “Talkies”. It’s now shown over 100 films; has an annual film festival; puts on outdoor summer screenings in Bromfield Park and a whole lot more. It also brings serious names to PG to support many screenings – witness the Development Producer of the 2016 Oscar winning film Room who will be in attendance to introduce the film and answer questions at the Fox screening on the 19th of this month. Screening plans are always on this web site (another blindingly brilliant local voluntary initiative by the way).

As for theatre, maybe, maybe not, as with a lot of possibilities for PG I can only say, watch this space.

Given that I comment on this site makes it obvious that I am fully aware of Talkies Cinema. I certainly fully applaud all those involved with this travelling Cinema and have no doubt that it must be very self satisfying and the rewards many to all the enthusiastic organisers of Talkies.

I had chosen not to mention Talkie in my initial comments on this subject, yet at the same time suspected that somebody would care to respond in order to mention Talkies Cinema.

Talkies has no firm roots, no base in Palmers Green, and as I previously mentioned it is a travelling Cinema, and whilst it may seem irrelevant to some for me and many others the relevance is profound.

1. The Travelling Cinema is not known to all residents and it is a case of out of sight out of mind.

2. Some residents/visitors of the area choose not to have internet use at home (not always for financial reasons) reasons as to why the computers are very popular in the local libraries and I doubt that those that used the library's computers do so to search for the programmes at Talkies Cinema.

Having a fix base Cinema in Palmers Green with a varied programme for all ages (as stated in my initial comments) would be popular with all ages and wonderful for PG particularly for parents/grandparents who would be able to stroll with their youngsters early afternoon during the weekends and on holidays to their local cinema in PG.

In essence, many of us are of the opinion that all local London areas should have a decent range of good entertainments for the residents, and the Cinema and Theatre are two which happen to be on top of the list as it encourages better integration healthy binding the essence of the community together, which will inevitably enliven the spirit of the area and indeed encourage better shop trading.

It's a nice idea Chrystalla - but who provide the capital investment? Is there really the demand to provide a pay back? The commercial sector clearly think not or they would exist here.

I completely agree with you about the benefits to the community and businesses of having an attraction like a local cinema in Palmers Green. Yes, we do have Talkies, (which is great, and was founded by Palmers Green locals) and yes, there are economic realities about the profitability of having a cinema in Palmers Green, but why shouldn't you be aspirational about this? As the song says, 'If you don't have a dream, how you gonna make a dream come true?'

Chrystalla, great that you are thinking ambitiously about a cinema in Palmers Green - lets hope you can turn your idea into action!

You made some assumptions about the roots of Talkies which I would like to correct.

Talkies started at locations in Palmers Green with people who had been associated with the area for many years with families that had been active in local schools and who were well connected to other groups in N13. The first venues were Baskervilles and The Fox and Talkies continues to screen events regularly in Palmers Green. Glad to hear you have heard about Talkies and hope you have been to some of the screenings, which have also included events at St John's and open air screenings in Broomfield Park. Additionally, we have supported other communities to set up events in their own area - Bounds Green, Southgate and Enfield Town. The model seems to work - using existing locations and developing working partnerships with a range of organisations.

We have looked at other venues in London where they have set up an independent cinema - Art House in Crouch End, Bernie Grant Centre in Tottenham and The Deptford Cinema. We know of others elsewhere. All have major challenges to meet the capital and revenue costs, even though they offer some of the additional activities you suggest. Talkies does not have this overhead so can keep prices low, investing our time and energy instead into providing great events.

If you are going to take action to turn your idea into reality we are happy to offer you our own experience.

Its seems that I have upset all those involved with Talkies, that was not my intention, I simply love and think that PG is an undiscovered gem that has the potential to be an enriching area given its great location.

Let me make it clear if I had the expertise I would not even had suggested the idea on this site, in fact I would just got on with making it a reality and yes even a success without listening to other peoples doubts and fears that are the very poison to any promising idea and indeed, progress. Alas, though, I do not have any expertise in such a field so I am of no good to any of you, ( yes, I could hear you all saying 'well that is why you do not understand the difficulties involved. But I say. ' negative thoughts and talk will not bring prosperity to any business idea').

Despite my lack of experience in this field, PG is my area as well, and I do have the right to say what I, and other residents that I know desirer for our area.

If local Theatres and Cinemas are not attracting the crowds then there are issues that have been probably over looked and therefore not addressed. Do the people who are involved in these local Theatres and Cinema know exactly what the local residents of London love and expect to entice them into these venues. The power of Public advertising seems to have been mistakenly largely over looked due to the internet.

PG is situated on the popular on route of Green Lanes the well known portal of Enfield Town which has very good Public Transport Links, unlike Crouch End and some other areas, therefore, those who have the expertise in this creative field could potential breeze new loving and exciting life into the area, this could potentially have many good in -roads for PG particularly for our shopping area, dare say even for Broomfield House.

If the residents are going to be negative of Palmers Green and its future prospects then they are doing the area a disservice by keeping at bay creative business people who may have some great ideas for setting up business in the area.

Hi Chrystalla. From my read of the comments I don't think you've upset anyone. And it is great that people such as yourself have new ideas - but it's also right that others ask the tough questions that need to be addressed before embarking on new ventures. People like David and Karl put a huge amount of voluntary time and effort into making Palmers Green a better place (I do a tiny bit myself) - so we share your desire for an even better place to live. Through our work we are also aware of some the real challenges and parameters.