Secret Cinema’s Greenwich extravaganza will officially seat 1500 and become a permanent spot
No commitment issues here
After two decades of popping up across various locations like a quirky, art student’s whack a mole, Secret Cinema is putting down roots. After appearing in disused warehouses, parks, and anywhere it could convincingly recreate a dystopian future or 1950s high school, Secret Cinema is finally set to open up its first ever permanent site over in Greenwich – and it's officially one step closer to opening its doors...
Back in March, it was announced that Secret Cinema would be setting up a permanent shop on Greenwich’s iconic peninsula, but now it has officially received the green light for building the new 1,500-capacity site which has been council-approved for medium-term stay – aka. up to 10 years. We know it will be neighbouring the beloved Troubadour Theatre on Greenwich’s peninsula, offering a 1,500 seat auditorium to the Troubadour’s 3,000 seater.
The business has now applied to the council for a premises license which will allow its new locale to remain open (and sell booze) until 11.30 on weekdays, and until midnight on weekends.
It looks as though Secret Cinema will be utilising the waterside location to its fullest, with the inaugural production set to be a Pirates of the Caribbean special. In partnership with TodayTix, Secret Cinema will be taking the hit blockbuster from the high seas to the high street, as Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean: The Immersive Adventure heads to London. It will have a strictly limited 10-week run, kicking off from February 2027, and its run will mark the first time the franchise has been adapted into an immersive theatrical experience.
Secret Cinema has said the new purpose-built venue will be designed specifically for “immersive storytelling” (no surprises there), giving itself the space to go bigger and run experiences for longer. In plain terms: fewer short runs in random locations, more blockbuster-style productions that stick around.
The new venue will sit a short walk from North Greenwich station, joining an area that’s already stacked with cultural heavy hitters, including The O2 and the Design District. Secret Cinema will have to agree to co-ordinate its exit times with Troubadour, the O2 and the Magazine London events venue before it can open, so that exit times at each space will be staggered.
Greenwich Council’s Licensing Sub-Committee B will decide whether to grant Secret Cinema’s new premises licence on August 11. The premises licence application has received a couple of objections from local residents. Both feared the new venue would create the opportunity for late-night noise and disturbance to nearby residents, and fears sites like the Thames Paths will be blocked.
If you just can't wait for a bit of immersive movie action, you can catch Secret Cinema's Grease The Immersive Movie Musical at Battersea Park until mid-September.
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