Romford’s Cinema Is Reborn As Lumiere Open’s Its Doors To The Public.

Romford’s Cinema Reborn: Lumiere opens its doors to the public this Friday and promises a unique cinematic experience!

Following the sudden closure of Premiere Cinemas in August, the beloved cinema space at the Mercury Shopping Centre in Romford has been revitalized and is set to officially reopen this Friday under a new name: Lumiere. This exciting venture is spearheaded by the dedicated team behind the Romford Film Festival, who have a decade-long history of successfully hosting festivals within the venue.

Driven by a passion to save the cinema, the Romford Film Festival team rallied public support and established The Romford Film Trust, a community-focused co-operative charity. This innovative model will see profits reinvested to benefit its members and the local community, marking a fresh approach to cinema operation in the area.

Over the past week, locals have witnessed a “soft launch” of Lumiere, with doors open and over 25 classic movies, alongside a curated selection of indie, international, and recent award-winning films like The Substance, Conclave, and Maria, gracing the screens.

The grand opening on Friday marks the start of a new era for Romford cinema-goers. The initial lineup boasts a diverse range of films, including the highly anticipated The Minecraft Movie, the thought-provoking Flow, the animated sensation Ne Zha, the intriguing Mickey 17, and the locally significant Marching Powder, which features scenes filmed in Romford. The week will continue with screenings of Black Bag and Last Breath. Adding a touch of cinematic prestige, Lumiere will host two very special screenings of The Return, featuring a live Q&A with acclaimed actors Ralph Fiennes and Juliette Binoche beamed directly from the British Museum. Next weekend will see the addition of new releases alongside a celebratory screening of André Rieu’s birthday concert, The Dream Continues, complete with a complimentary glass of bubbly.

Lumiere is committed to showcasing a wider range of cinematic voices. Patrons can look forward to seeing the multi-award-winning German comedy Sweet Disaster, the dark South African fantasy/horror Pou, the Italian drama exploring female narratives in Sleeping Close, the haunting Japanese murder mystery The Empty Flowerpot, and the quirky American drama Out and About.

Operating on a unique membership model, Lumiere aims to foster a strong connection with its audience. An annual membership of £30 directly contributes to enhancing the cinema space. While significant technical upgrades, amounting to £50,000, have already been completed, including improved sound quality and repaired projector issues, further improvements are planned. New projection screens are set to arrive in May, marking the next phase of development.

Spencer Hawken, Chair of the Trust, commented on the initial response and future vision: “For now, people will instantly notice the place seems brighter and a lot cleaner. We upgraded the sound quality and fixed some projector issues. We’ve ordered brand-new projection screens for each auditorium, which will start arriving in May. Then they’ll notice the diversity in our film screenings. Since we went public in December, over 1,000 people have become members, and we’ve added nearly 50 more since our soft launch last Friday. People are initially taken aback by the £30 membership, but once you explain how things will work, they soon understand and become our latest members within minutes. You don’t have to become a member to watch films, but if you want the best value and benefits, it soon becomes a no-brainer.”

While anyone can purchase tickets at £6.99, members enjoy a discounted rate of £4 per film, with the membership covering the entire family. Additional benefits include a 25% discount on special events and premiere screenings, and a 10% discount on concessions. Starting in May 2026, members will also receive a share of the profits as “Lumiere credits,” and from June this year, they will receive priority access to live events through a special newsletter.

Addressing initial skepticism, Spencer added, “People said the membership model wouldn’t work, but it’s been a much easier sell than we thought. I remember people giving me an earful on social media right off the bat. They called the idea pompous, unworkable, and elitist, among other things. But with 20% of Havering cinema-goers opting to go into central London rather than local cinemas, we know that the town is ready for change. For those who don’t get it, they can head to the Brewery for a more mainstream experience. There’s so much to offend certain mindsets, and we are rising above that, and our members love it. We’ll be actively ensuring people are not using their phones in screens, to the point where we’ll soon be blocking any signal above 3G, so social media and online messaging services won’t work. On top of that, we have a strict over-18s policy unless accompanied by an appropriate adult. Why? This is twofold. Firstly, we want safe, clean, and friendly environments that bring back the heart of the cinema experience. Secondly, during the summer, we intend to apply for a full-time alcohol license and will offer in-screen delivery of those items to patrons. This isn’t about penalisation; it’s about protection. And it’s genuinely not affecting our business projections to date. In fact, we already have two sold-out events booked for June and July.”

Lumiere is keen to emphasize its commitment to families, with plans to launch kids’ crafts, in-screen entertainment, and a film school in the summer. The focus is on creating meaningful experiences and fostering a love for cinema in its purest form.

With two screens dedicated to world and classic cinema, Lumiere encourages audience engagement, allowing patrons to request films via a notice board and, soon, through a dedicated app.

The vision for Lumiere extends beyond film screenings. Future plans include transforming the venue into a daytime hub for community groups, establishing a café/coffee shop, and creating gig spaces for stand-up comedy, drama, and musicians. Book launches, readings, cultural sessions, and a weekly film quiz are also on the horizon. The next phase of development will focus on refurbishing the upstairs spaces to provide affordable creative spaces.

Spencer outlined the ongoing work: “There’s still much work to do in the foyer. Our main goal was to eliminate all the red, then we’ll begin zoning areas, creating a warm and friendly environment where people can meet and have business meetings, where those who work remotely can escape isolation and get into a public space. Then, when that’s complete, we’ll begin the regeneration of the auditoriums, improving doors for disabled users, soundproofing to contain the action in the screens, and in screens 3, 4, and The Discovery screen, we’ll rip out the seating and install comfortable sofas, armchairs, and make throws available to ensure everyone gets the temperatures they want and need.”

Lumiere is officially open from Friday, coinciding with the release of Minecraft, with all major releases following. For screening information and updates, please visit www.lumiereromford.com. The operators emphasize that new films are being added daily, ensuring a dynamic and exciting cinematic offering for Romford.

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