It’s been on the cards for months—nay, years—but the doors are finally ready to open. Red Hill’s once abandoned skate rink, which was gutted by fire just under 17 years ago, and has since stood as a graffiti-covered shell of its former self, has found a new lease on life and opens as a five-screen cinema this weekend.
If you’re worried about the loss of a pretty iconic street art site, don’t be—the crew responsible for taking on the job of rebuilding and revamping the fire-ravaged site have retained plenty of the graffiti, both inside and out. Works from artists like Sofles and Drapl adorn the exposed brick walls, while the entire front facade is a nod to the building's 100-year-old past.
History lovers who remember the days when the building was a cinema the first time round can expect to find signs of the old 1920s Pop Picture Palace, from classic movie artefacts like old film reel canisters to a plant stand made of the ladder that used to go up to the projection booth.
Keen to catch a flick? Those five cinemas include one traditional 160-seater with leather seats and plenty of legroom, as well as four luxe smaller cinemas with reclining chairs where you can have food and drinks delivered throughout the movie. And yes, all the cinemas are fully licensed, so there is definitely the possibility of a sneaky wine or two during the movie.
Bonus, to celebrate the grand opening, all tickets will be $10 this weekend, and you know you want to catch Frozen 2. See what else is showing and grab tickets here.
The Details
When: Opening Saturday 30 November
Where: Red Hill Cinemas, Red Hill
Find out more here.
Heard about the new cinemas coming to Fortitude Valley?
Image credit: Red Hill Cinemas