London's classiest cinema 2001-Present
NICK JONES
CEO Soho House Group
CLARE BINNS
Director of Programming
City Screen Virtual
“I have been going to see films at the Electric for the last 30 years and took over programming the cinema in 2002, when it reopened with the Soho House Group. The Electric has been integral in defining my film knowledge and taste over the years and I”m delighted to be involved with the cinema and join in it’s centenary celebrations.”
SASHA GEBLER
Gebler Tooth Architects
Electric Cinema refurbishment
1998-2001, 2002
In April 1998 the Cinema was sold to an unspecified buyer, in the meantime, Sasha Gebler of Gebler Tooth architects, had fallen in love with the Electric after seeing it in a very dilapidated state in 1997, after taking a look on behalf of the owners of The Travel Bookshop.
Electric Cinema interior
The cinema was in need of a radical overhaul in order to bring up to date with current cinema regulations, they submit plans which are enthusiastically received except that RBK&C would only grant planning consent if both the supermarket next door and the cinema were redeveloped together. Sasha then presented a scheme for the redevelopment of the site, which the Borough supported but couldn’t say who the owners were. After a bit of digging, the owner turned out to be Peter Simon of the Monsoon Clothing Empire, who started out as a stall holder on Portobello Road, and was very taken with the idea of developing the whole site. He acquired the cinema and restoration began, yet again, of the Electric.
It reopened, in February 2001 just in time for the Cinema’s 90th birthday with 240 seats and a rep-based programme rather than first run and peppered with live music events. Then, when the neighbouring shop became available, a plan was mooted to create a luxury cinema, members club and restaurant, a new lease of life for the Electric dream.
The £2 million cost of redevelopment was funded by local resident and entrepreneur Peter Simon (the founder of Monsoon), and following a brief period being run by City Screen, once the restaurant was ready, leased to the Soho House Group, for its next incarnation: the Electric.
The 'bug-hole' of old has been transformed into one of the world's most lavish and user-friendly cinemas. "When you board a plane everyone wishes they could turn left (into business class) instead of right — with the Electric we offer filmgoers that option," says Nick Jones of Soho House. "The key to the success of the refit was the hi-tech screen.”
With the original arch surrounding the screen protected by English Heritage, an ingenious expanding monitor was designed so visitors can see Cinemascope movies. With personal comfort in mind, the seating was reduced to 98 leather armchairs, with the wry tradition of two-seater sofas at the rear. Alongside the cinema is the Electric Brasserie, and upstairs a private members club.
Harkening to the past, the cinema now programmes a healthy mix of current releases, re-runs, and classic and cult films.