Duke of York's Picturehouse Verified listing

Opened on 22 September 1910, the Grade II-listed Duke of York's is the UK's oldest purpose-built cinema, as verified by the Cinema Theatres Association. Over its one hundred years, it has gone from Edwardian Picture Palace to 'fleapit' to a leading independent and much-loved Brighton cinema.

The Duke of York's was built at the cost of £3,000 by actress-manager Violet Melnotte-Wyatt on the site of the Amber Ale Brewery, the walls of which still form the rear part of the auditorium.  It has operated as an arts cinema since 1981, and has passed through several owners and hosted illegal punk rock concerts. It was in a shabby state when it was bought in 1994 by Picturehouse, who invested in the building and restored it to its former glory. In 1991, a 20-foot pair of can-can dancer's legs were acquired from the recently closed Not The Moulin Rouge Theatre in Oxford, and were installed onto the outside front balcony. These were later moved to their current position on the roof during a refurbishment in 1995.