Nine-screen Lewisham cinema set to open in troubled new development
A nine-screen cinema is set to open in Lewisham town centre according to Lewisham Council.
Arc cinemas will operate the venture at the troubled Filigree development constructed as part of Lewisham Gateway’s second phase.
The company currently operate eight cinemas with most located in the north of England and are owned by the Melcorpo group. They’ve recently opened in Blackpool. It’s promised the cinema will provide 4K laser projection and a “huge premium HYPERSENSE screen”.
This announcement marks a piece of good news for a troubled development. It’s currently entirely empty after a major flood last year forced out 400 residents. Work on all commercial units also ceased.
It’s hoped work on repairing an energy centre damaged in the flood will be complete by the end of 2026. No work on fitting out the cinema can begin until the site is in a fit state to begin thus no confirmed opening date has yet been given.
Issues upon opening followed a late completion after a contractor walked away following a dispute.
Upon opening it’ll be the only cinema in Lewisham borough. An Odeon existed in the area until it closed in 1981 and demolished a decade later for a road scheme. That road scheme including a substantial roundabout between Lewisham station and High Street was changed again for the Lewisham Gateway development.
During construction an Empire cinema was announced but that chain went under.
Catford
The borough’s most recent operational cinema was the three-screen Catford Mews which closed in October 2024 after operator Really Local Group ran up deficits of more than £650,000 and the site repossessed.
Lewisham Council state they’ll announce who is to re-open the site next week.
At Lewisham Gateway work is now set to start according to developer Get Living to repair the energy centre and allow residents to move back and businesses to prepare to open. One such shop in a Sainsbury’s Local which is set to open beside bus stops near Lewisham station.
God awful looking buildings but praying this actually happens. Lewisham should be so much better than it is with things to do.
I looked into Arc and they were supposed to open a new cinema in Ayr. That was in 2021. Never opened.
I’ll believe it when I see it.
A nine screen cinema? That seems like a lot. I remember the cinemas that used to be in Lewisham town centre and there was a bus stop right outside the Odeon.