Royston Picture Palace permanently closed 

As we enter 2024 many make their new year’s resolutions and celebrate another year of success with family and friends. However, for Royston’s picture palace 2024 brings an end to 11 years of showing films and making affordable cinema experiences possible. 

In December 2019, management of the cinema became a collaboration between the town council and Saffron Screen. Sadly, in the summer of 2023 Saffron Screen decided to no longer run the picture palace due to a decrease in ticket sales which then forced Royston town council to have to announce on December 30th that the one-year interim agreement was up which meant the non-profit community cinema would be closing its doors. Royston Council have not given up on the community cinema and are trying their best to find a long-term arrangement which will allow the cinema to remain open for good. 

On the Roston picture palace website when looking at the cinema info tab you can read their aim “Our aim is, through film, to entertain, educate and create shared experiences in order to improve the quality of life for everyone in Royston and the surrounding areas.” It would be a shame to see the picture palace close as people of all ages enjoy bonding over a day at the cinema laughing at a film and spending a couple of hours escaping into a world of imaginary characters and fun. 

Royston Picture palace has reasonable ticket prices, the newest blockbuster movies and tons of fun for the family. Prices start at £8 for adults and £5 for under 18s. The council have placed a PIN on the government website on the 5th of January hoping that someone will offer to help keep the cinema open and running. The PIN gives people with an interest in running the cinema a chance to enter into an agreement and give their ideas on how they will keep the cinema open. The PIN will close on February 9th, within the Prior information notice on the government website is all the information for any companies or people on what the council needs to maintain and keep the non-profit community cinema open.