Phoenix Picturehouse
A historic independent-style arthouse cinema in Oxford, England, and the founding venue of the Picturehouse Cinemas chain.
Last updated August 25, 2026
AI crawler reads
No AI crawler has read this profile since Oct 28, 2026.
Overview
Phoenix Picturehouse is a cinema at 57 Walton Street in Oxford's Jericho district. It is best known for international, independent, arthouse and repertory film programming, while also operating as a local cultural venue. Although it is now part of Picturehouse Cinemas and ultimately owned by Cineworld Group, the cinema retains the character and presentation of an independent neighborhood picture house. The venue opened on 15 March 1913 as the North Oxford Kinema. Its building was designed by local architect Gilbert T. Gardner for proprietors Richard Henry John Bartlett, W. Beeson and Charles Green. Oxford already had several cinemas at the time, but the new venue served the rapidly developing north Oxford area. During its early years it passed through a succession of operators. Poole's Entertainments refurbished it in 1920 and renamed it the Scala; a short-lived 1925 change produced the name New Scala. Other operators included Hubert Thomas Lambert, Walshaw Enterprises, Ben Jay, J. Bailiff and Edward Alfred Roberts. In 1930 John Edward Poyntz acquired the lease and introduced sound equipment. Under the Poyntz family, who controlled the cinema for approximately four decades, the venue developed a strong reputation for showing subtitled and foreign-language films. Its location near Oxford University made such programming particularly attractive to students and foreign-language learners. Over time, it became recognized as one of the United Kingdom's important art-film cinemas outside London. The original frontage was replaced in 1939 with a design by Frederick G. M. Chancellor of Frank Matcham & Co. A change of ownership in 1970 brought a more commercial phase. Star Associated Holdings divided the single auditorium into two and renamed the venue Studios One and Two. The programme became more mainstream, and adult films became a regular feature. Studio Two was renamed Studio X in 1976 and briefly operated as a private club specializing in more explicit adult films. In 1977 Charles and Kitty Cooper, owners of Contemporary Films, renamed the cinema The Phoenix and restored its emphasis on arthouse and foreign-language films. Their introduction of nightly late screenings proved popular with Oxford's student population, although attendance declined during the difficult cinema market of the 1980s. The cinema was used as a filming location in 1987 for The Silent World of Nicholas Quinn, an episode of the ITV detective series Inspector Morse. In 1989 Lyn Goleby and Tony Jones acquired the venue. It became the first cinema in the Picturehouse Cinemas group, which subsequently expanded into a national chain of cinemas focused on a mixture of mainstream, independent, foreign-language and specialist programming. Cineworld acquired Picturehouse Cinemas on 6 December 2012, ending the Phoenix's formal independence while leaving its local identity and independent-style presentation largely intact. The venue marked its centenary in March 2013. Picturehouse later published historical material about the cinema and its audiences, including a centenary book based on Oxford cinema memories and archival research. In August 2017 Phoenix Picturehouse closed for approximately two months for a major refurbishment of both screens and reopened in October of that year. Today it operates as an Oxford cultural and exhibition venue within the Picturehouse network, combining regular film screenings with the atmosphere of a long-established local cinema.
History
Phoenix Picturehouse occupies a cinema building on Walton Street in Jericho, Oxford. It opened on 15 March 1913 under the name North Oxford Kinema, at a time when cinema-going was becoming an established form of urban entertainment and Oxford already had several competing venues. Local architect Gilbert T. Gardner designed the building for Richard Henry John Bartlett, W. Beeson and Charles Green. The cinema experienced frequent changes of operation during its first two decades. Hubert Thomas Lambert operated it from 1917 to 1920, followed by CW Poole's Entertainments from 1920 to 1923, Walshaw Enterprises from 1923 to 1925, Ben Jay from 1925 to 1927, J. Bailiff from 1927 to 1928 and Edward Alfred Roberts from 1928 to 1930. Poole's company refurbished the venue in 1920 and renamed it the Scala. Ben Jay briefly used the name New Scala in 1925. John Edward Poyntz took the lease in 1930 and installed sound equipment, allowing the cinema to transition fully into the sound-film era. In 1939 its original façade was replaced by a design prepared by Frederick G. M. Chancellor of Frank Matcham & Co. The Poyntz family retained the cinema for roughly 40 years. During this period, the venue built a particularly strong reputation for subtitled and foreign-language films. Its proximity to Oxford University helped create a consistent audience among students and language learners, and the cinema became an important art-film venue outside London. In 1970 Star Associated Holdings Ltd acquired the cinema and divided its single auditorium into two screens. The venue was renamed Studios One and Two, and its programme moved toward more mainstream material. Adult films became a regular part of the schedule, while Studio Two was renamed Studio X in 1976 and briefly operated as a private club for explicit adult films. Charles and Kitty Cooper of Contemporary Films acquired the cinema in 1977 and renamed it The Phoenix. They reversed the previous programming direction by restoring an emphasis on art cinema and foreign-language films. The Coopers also introduced late-night screenings every night of the week, an initiative that became especially popular with local students. Attendance nevertheless weakened during the broader UK cinema downturn of the 1980s, and the Coopers eventually sold the venue. The Phoenix appeared as a filming location in The Silent World of Nicholas Quinn, an episode of ITV's Inspector Morse, in 1987. Two years later Lyn Goleby and Tony Jones purchased the cinema. It became the first venue in the Picturehouse Cinemas group, which grew into a national chain combining independent, international, specialist and mainstream programming. On 6 December 2012 Cineworld acquired Picturehouse Cinemas. Phoenix Picturehouse consequently ceased to be independently owned, although its name, atmosphere and local programming profile continued to emphasize its historic independent-cinema identity. The venue celebrated its hundredth anniversary in March 2013, and Picturehouse later issued a book documenting its history and Oxford audiences. In August 2017 it closed for a substantial refurbishment of both screens, reopening in October. Its continuing role is that of a historic local cinema within the wider Picturehouse network, with a particular focus on arthouse and international film alongside broader commercial programming.
- 2017
Two-screen refurbishment completed
[1]After closing in August for refurbishment, the cinema reopened in October.
- 2013
Centenary celebrated
[1]The cinema marked 100 years since its opening.
- 2012
Acquired by Cineworld
[1]Cineworld Group purchased Picturehouse Cinemas, bringing the Phoenix into the group.
- 1989
Becomes first Picturehouse venue
[1]Lyn Goleby and Tony Jones acquired the cinema, making it the first venue in Picturehouse Cinemas.
- 1987
Used as an Inspector Morse filming location
[1]The cinema appeared as a filming location in The Silent World of Nicholas Quinn.
- 1977
The Phoenix name adopted
[1]Charles and Kitty Cooper renamed the venue The Phoenix and restored its arthouse and foreign-language focus.
- 1970
Auditorium divided into two screens
[1]Star Associated Holdings acquired the venue, split the auditorium and renamed it Studios One and Two.
- 1939
New façade introduced
[1]The original frontage was replaced with a design by Frederick G. M. Chancellor of Frank Matcham & Co.
- 1930
Sound equipment installed
[1]John Edward Poyntz acquired the lease and installed equipment for sound films.
- 1920
Venue renamed The Scala
[1]Poole's Entertainments refurbished the cinema and adopted the Scala name.
Products and positioning
A historic Oxford arthouse cinema with an independent neighborhood identity, combining specialist film programming with selected mainstream releases and cultural events.
Cinema exhibition
Arthouse and independent film programme
The cinema's defining offer is a programme of independent, arthouse and specialist films. This reflects the venue's long-standing identity as an art-film cinema and distinguishes it from a purely mainstream multiplex.
Cinema exhibition
International and foreign-language screenings
Phoenix Picturehouse has historically shown subtitled and foreign-language films, a tradition associated with its proximity to Oxford University and its audiences of students and language learners.
Cinema exhibition
Mainstream feature screenings
Alongside specialist cinema, the venue presents selected broader commercial releases, allowing it to serve as a general local cinema as well as an arthouse venue.
Cinema events · 1977
Late-night screenings
Late screenings introduced under the Contemporary Films ownership became an important part of the venue's student-oriented offer and helped reinforce its role as a distinctive local cultural destination.
Brand decisions
2017
Two-screen refurbishmentOtherBackground
The historic cinema required an update to its two-screen facilities.
Action taken
The venue closed in August for a major refurbishment of both screens.
Aftermath
It reopened in October 2017 and continued operating within the Picturehouse network.
2012
Picturehouse Cinemas acquired by CineworldM&ABackground
Picturehouse had developed from the Phoenix into a multi-venue cinema group.
Action taken
Cineworld Group acquired Picturehouse Cinemas on 6 December 2012.
Aftermath
Phoenix Picturehouse became part of a larger cinema group but continued to present itself as a locally rooted, independent-style venue.
1989
Use Phoenix as the founding Picturehouse venueStrategyBackground
After the cinema changed ownership during a difficult period for UK cinema, Lyn Goleby and Tony Jones acquired it and saw its specialist local identity as the basis for a wider cinema business.
Action taken
The Phoenix became the first venue in the Picturehouse Cinemas group.
Aftermath
Picturehouse expanded into a national chain, while the Oxford venue remained associated with the group's independent-style positioning.
Recent events
- 2017
Major refurbishment completed[1]
Other
The cinema closed for about two months to refurbish both screens and reopened in October 2017.
- 2013
Phoenix Picturehouse marks its centenary[1]
Other
The Oxford cinema celebrated 100 years of operation, having opened as the North Oxford Kinema in March 1913.
- 2012
Cineworld acquires Picturehouse Cinemas[1]
M&A
Cineworld Group acquired Picturehouse Cinemas, making Phoenix Picturehouse part of a larger international cinema group while preserving its local-facing identity.
- 1989
Phoenix Picturehouse becomes the first venue in the Picturehouse Cinemas group[1]
Other
Lyn Goleby and Tony Jones acquired the cinema and used it as the first venue in the developing Picturehouse Cinemas chain.
Sources2 sources
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/phoenix-picturehouse · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled