The Belmont Cinema
The Belmont Cinema is an historic arthouse cinema on Belmont Street in Aberdeen, Scotland, currently closed while a community-led operator prepares a planned reopening.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
The Belmont Cinema is an historic cinema venue on Belmont Street in Aberdeen, Scotland. It is regarded as the last remaining independent cinema in the city and has operated under several names and operators during more than a century of cinematic use. The building itself dates from 1896, when it was constructed as a trades hall to designs by architects Alexander Ellis and Robert Gordon Wilson. The premises were associated with Aberdeen's newly established labour movement and initially served as a meeting venue rather than a dedicated cinema. Film was shown there as early as 1898, including footage of Queen Victoria at Balmoral Castle, establishing a long-running connection with visiting film exhibitions. The building became a permanent cinema in 1910, when the former Trades Hall was converted into the Coliseum. It opened on 22 August that year. Following refurbishment, it reopened as the New Kinema on 11 April 1921. A further refurbishment in 1935 led to the adoption of the Belmont Cinema name. The cinema closed on 29 March 1952, after which the building was used as a warehouse for several decades. Cinema use returned in 2000 after Aberdeen City Council carried out a major refurbishment with support from the National Lottery and Scottish Screen. Picturehouse Cinemas took the building on lease and reopened it as the Belmont Picturehouse on 15 September 2000. The venue developed a reputation for arthouse, specialist and independent film programming, complementing the mainstream cinema offer elsewhere in Aberdeen. Although the lease was extended for a further ten years in April 2011, Picturehouse's position changed after its acquisition by Cineworld. Competition concerns led to the disposal of the Belmont operation, following a Competition Commission ruling that the enlarged group would create unfair competition in the city. In April 2014, the Centre for the Moving Image took over the lease. The venue was renamed Belmont Filmhouse and operated as a sister cinema to Edinburgh Filmhouse. Its programme and identity were connected with the wider Filmhouse organisation, while the Aberdeen site continued to serve local audiences with arthouse, independent and cultural cinema. The cinema closed in October 2022 when the Centre for the Moving Image ceased trading and entered administration. After the closure, local cinephiles and businesses established the Save The Belmont Cinema campaign. This activity helped lead to the formation of Belmont Community Cinema Ltd, a local charity created to restore cinema operations at the site. Aberdeen City Council named the charity its preferred operator in September 2023. At a public meeting the following month, the proposed operator said that film, education, community activity and customer experience would form the basis of a renewed offer. The property remains owned by Aberdeen City Council and is a Grade C listed building. Following a successful application to the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Belmont Community Cinema Ltd announced an intention to reopen the site in late 2027. As of the available reference material, the cinema is temporarily closed and the future reopening remains a planned project rather than an operational launch.
History
The Belmont Cinema occupies a building with roots in Aberdeen's labour and civic history. Constructed in 1896 as a trades hall, it was designed by Alexander Ellis and Robert Gordon Wilson and was principally used for meetings associated with the city's newly established Labour Movement. The building also hosted early moving-picture exhibitions. The first recorded film presentation took place in 1898 and included footage of Queen Victoria at Balmoral Castle, reflecting the period's practice of showing films as visiting attractions in halls and other public venues. In 1910, the premises were converted into a permanent cinema named the Coliseum. The cinema opened on 22 August 1910. A refurbishment produced the New Kinema, which reopened on 11 April 1921. Another refurbishment in 1935 was followed by the adoption of the Belmont Cinema name. This first cinema phase ended when the venue closed on 29 March 1952. The building was subsequently used as a warehouse, ending its original period as a dedicated cinema. The site returned to cinema use after Aberdeen City Council undertook a substantial refurbishment supported by the National Lottery and Scottish Screen. Picturehouse Cinemas operated the renovated venue under lease, reopening it as the Belmont Picturehouse on 15 September 2000. The Picturehouse era re-established the site as an important specialist cinema in Aberdeen, with a focus on arthouse and independent film alongside other cultural programming. In April 2011, the lease was extended for another ten years. The arrangement was later affected by Cineworld's purchase of Picturehouse Cinemas. Competition Commission concerns about the enlarged company's position in Aberdeen required the Belmont operation to be sold. The Centre for the Moving Image took over the lease in April 2014 and renamed the venue Belmont Filmhouse. It became a sister venue to Edinburgh Filmhouse and continued the site's specialist cinema role. In October 2022, however, the Centre for the Moving Image ceased trading and entered administration. The Aberdeen cinema consequently closed, leaving the city without the venue's established independent and arthouse programme. The closure prompted the Save The Belmont Cinema campaign, supported by local cinephiles and business people. The campaign contributed to the creation of Belmont Community Cinema Ltd, a local charity whose purpose is to bring the venue back into community operation. Aberdeen City Council, which owns the property, named the charity its preferred operator in September 2023. At a public meeting in October 2023, the proposed operator described a future built around film, education, community engagement and improved customer experience. The building is Grade C listed, making its preservation and adaptation part of a wider heritage concern as well as a cinema project. After a successful application to the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Belmont Community Cinema Ltd announced an intention to reopen the site in late 2027. The available material does not establish that reopening has occurred; the venue should therefore be treated as temporarily closed with a community-led restoration and operating plan in development.
- 2023
Community operator selected
[1]Aberdeen City Council named Belmont Community Cinema Ltd its preferred operator in September.
- 2022
Closure following operator administration
[1]The venue closed in October after the Centre for the Moving Image ceased trading and entered administration.
- 2014
Centre for the Moving Image takes over
[1]The Centre for the Moving Image took over the lease in April and renamed the venue Belmont Filmhouse.
- 2011
Picturehouse lease extended
[1]The lease for Picturehouse's operation of the venue was extended for a further ten years in April.
- 2000
Picturehouse reopening
[1]After council-led refurbishment supported by the National Lottery and Scottish Screen, Picturehouse reopened the venue as Belmont Picturehouse on 15 September.
- 1952
Cinema closes and becomes a warehouse
[1]The cinema closed on 29 March 1952 and the building was converted for warehouse use.
- 1935
Belmont Cinema name adopted
[1]Following another refurbishment, the venue became known as the Belmont Cinema.
- 1921
New Kinema reopens after refurbishment
[1]The refurbished cinema reopened under the New Kinema name on 11 April 1921.
- 1910
Coliseum opens as a permanent cinema
[1]The converted Trades Hall opened as the Coliseum on 22 August 1910.
- 1898
First film shown at the premises
[1]The building hosted an early film presentation featuring footage of Queen Victoria at Balmoral Castle.
Products and positioning
An historic Aberdeen arthouse and community cinema distinguished by its independent identity, listed building, specialist film programming and civic cultural role.
Cinema exhibition
Arthouse and independent film screenings
The Belmont's principal offering has been the exhibition of arthouse, independent and specialist films. Across its Picturehouse and Filmhouse eras, the venue occupied a cultural niche distinct from a purely mainstream multiplex, serving audiences seeking international, independent and other non-mainstream cinema. The precise future programme under the planned community operator has not yet been published.
Cultural and educational programming · 2023
Community cinema and education
Belmont Community Cinema Ltd has identified education and community activity as central elements of the proposed renewed venue. These ambitions extend the cinema's role beyond screenings toward local participation and film-related learning. Specific courses, partnerships and event formats remain to be confirmed.
Marketing campaigns
- 2022Save The Belmont Cinema
Aberdeen · Scotland
Local cinephiles and business people formed the campaign after the Centre for the Moving Image collapse and the resulting closure of the venue. Its purpose was to maintain public attention on the building and support the cinema's preservation and reopening.
Outcome. The campaign helped lead to the creation of Belmont Community Cinema Ltd, which was later selected as Aberdeen City Council's preferred operator.
Brand decisions
2023
Develop a community-led reopeningStrategyBackground
The cinema had been closed since the collapse of its former operator, prompting a local campaign and the formation of a charitable operator.
Action taken
Aberdeen City Council selected Belmont Community Cinema Ltd as its preferred operator and the charity proposed a programme centred on film, education, community and customer experience.
Aftermath
After a successful National Lottery Heritage Fund application, the charity announced an intention to reopen the venue in late 2027.
2014
Transfer operation to the Centre for the Moving ImageStrategyBackground
Following Cineworld's acquisition of Picturehouse Cinemas, competition concerns required the Belmont operation to be sold.
Action taken
The Centre for the Moving Image took over the lease and renamed the venue Belmont Filmhouse.
Aftermath
The cinema became a sister venue to Edinburgh Filmhouse until the Centre for the Moving Image ceased trading in 2022.
2000
Reopen the building as Belmont PicturehouseStrategyBackground
Following a major refurbishment by Aberdeen City Council, the building was returned to cinema use after its warehouse period.
Action taken
Picturehouse Cinemas took the venue on lease and reopened it on 15 September 2000.
Aftermath
The reopening restored the site as an arthouse and specialist cinema in Aberdeen.
Sources2 sources
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