22,000 Sign Petition to Save Oxford's 113-Year-Old Cinema

When a cinema has been bringing communities together for 113 years, losing it feels like losing a piece of history itself.

The Ultimate Picture Palace in Oxford, UK, opened its doors in 1911 and has been a cultural gathering spot for generations ever since. The 106-seat cinema still features a manually opened curtain and an old-timey box office that transport visitors back in time.

But the cinema's future now depends on a lease extension. The community-owned theater needs its landlord, Oxford University's Oriel College, to extend the building's lease past 2037 so it can access grants for accessibility improvements and energy efficiency upgrades.

Operating costs have jumped 25% over the last four years, making these upgrades essential for survival. Without a longer lease, the cinema can't qualify for the grant funding that would help it thrive for another century.

The college renewed the lease in 2022 but says it has no plans to amend it "at this early stage in the tenancy." A spokesperson confirmed they remain in dialogue with managers about keeping the cinema open to the public.

The Ripple Effect

The fight to save the UPP reflects a bigger challenge facing historic communities. As universities expand their property holdings, independent gathering spaces where locals can connect are disappearing from neighborhoods.

This Grade II-listed building has hosted Oscar-winning director Sam Mendes and countless film students over the decades. It represents more than just a place to watch movies—it's where strangers become friends over shared stories on screen.

The petition launched in March shows how much people value these irreplaceable spaces. When 22,000 people sign their names to save a single small cinema, they're voting for community connection over corporate expansion.

The cinema remains open while negotiations continue, still welcoming filmgoers through doors that have been opening for more than a century.