Kino-Teatr

Kino-Teatr is an independent cinema, theatre and arts venue located on Norman Road in St Leonards-on-Sea, close to Hastings in East Sussex, England. It occupies a building that first opened in 1913 as the Kinema Palace, the town's first purpose-built cinema. After being renamed the Kinema in 1921, it survived two German bombing raids in 1943 that destroyed nearby buildings. In 1952 the façade was remodelled in a streamlined Modern style and the venue was renamed the Curzon Cinema. It was sold to the London-based Classic Cinemas chain in 1966 and closed on 23 January 1977. The building was subsequently taken over by Brookers building merchants, and the façade was altered again in the late 1980s. The current Kino-Teatr brand was established by Russell Baker and Olga Mamonova, who have run the Baker-Mamonova Gallery in St Leonards-on-Sea since 2001. The gallery specialises in 20th-century Russian art and has exhibited at venues including the State Tretyakov Gallery, Pushkin House, the Royal Bank of Scotland and the Belgravia Gallery, as well as in the United States. Kino-Teatr combines a cinema programme, live events, a restaurant (Reel Restaurant) and gallery space (Baker Mamonova Gallery). It shows a mix of independent and art-house films, hosts concerts and exhibitions, and runs an annual open submission exhibition, The Kino-Teatr Open. The 2026 edition is themed 'Within A Landscape' and runs from 1 October to 1 December 2026 in the Baker Mamonova Gallery space. The venue is open Wednesday to Saturday from 10:30 to 22:30 and Sunday from 10:30 to 17:00. It has a mailing list and has run a GoFundMe campaign to help keep the venue open. Kino-Teatr Ltd is a private company. The venue's programme includes films such as the 2025 British satirical mockumentary 'Lady UK' and classical music events such as a Coffee Concert with pianist Riyad Nicolas. The building's long history and its current mixed arts use make it a notable cultural landmark in the area.

The building that now houses Kino-Teatr opened on 5 November 1913 as the Kinema Palace, the first purpose-built cinema in St Leonards-on-Sea, East Sussex. It was renamed the Kinema in July 1921. During 1943 the cinema narrowly escaped destruction twice when it was the target of German bombers. The first raid on 23 May 1943 hit the almost adjacent Warrior Gate pub, killing 25 people. The second attack later that year again missed the Kinema but destroyed buildings halfway up Norman Road. In 1952 the façade was remodelled in a streamlined Modern style and the venue was renamed the Curzon Cinema. In 1966 the Curzon Cinema was sold to the London-based Classic Cinemas chain. Attempts to convert the building into a Vogue Bingo Club and a sex cinema were refused. The Curzon Cinema closed on 23 January 1977 with a screening of 'Raid on Entebbe'. The building was then taken over by Brookers building merchants, and the façade was altered again in the late 1980s. The Baker-Mamonova Gallery in St Leonards-on-Sea has been exhibiting, framing and promoting the best of 20th-century Russian art since 2001. It is owned and run by Russell Baker and Olga Mamonova, who have exhibited at the State Tretyakov Gallery, Pushkin House, the Royal Bank of Scotland, the Belgravia Gallery and other locations in the UK and the USA. Some of their paintings have also made an impact at the Russian Sales at Sotheby's and MacDougall's. Their work is known internationally for its dedicated and careful approach to the curation of exhibitions. The current Kino-Teatr venue operates as a cinema, theatre and arts centre, incorporating the Baker Mamonova Gallery and the Reel Restaurant. It runs an annual open submission exhibition, The Kino-Teatr Open, with the 2026 edition themed 'Within A Landscape' and scheduled for 1 October to 1 December 2026. The venue has also run a GoFundMe campaign to help keep it open.

• 2026

  The Kino-Teatr Open exhibition themed 'Within A Landscape' runs 1 October – 1 December.

• 2001

  Baker-Mamonova Gallery begins exhibiting in St Leonards-on-Sea.

• 1977

  Curzon Cinema closes on 23 January with 'Raid on Entebbe'.

• 1966

  Sold to the London-based Classic Cinemas chain.

• 1952

  Façade remodelled in streamlined Modern style and renamed the Curzon Cinema.

• 1943

  Narrowly escapes destruction twice during German bombing raids.

• 1921

  Renamed the Kinema in July.

• 1913

  Kinema Palace opens on 5 November as the first purpose-built cinema in St Leonards-on-Sea.

Independent arts venue combining cinema, theatre, gallery and dining in a historic building.

• Cinema screenings

• Live theatre and music events

• Art exhibitions

• Reel Restaurant

• Baker Mamonova Gallery

1. 1Kino-Teatr official websitekino-teatr.co.uk
2. 2Kino-Teatr history pagekino-teatr.co.uk
3. 3Wikidata entry for Kino-Teatrwikidata.org