Tucked away just off the high street in Southwold, you could easily walk past the Electric Picture Palace and not even know this little Suffolk gem was there!
I found myself at this little cinema as it’s on the list of Suffolk’s Top 50 and I’ve been working my way through the list visiting all the places. It may be taking me longer that I’d like to admit, but I have really enjoyed the places I’ve been to and the Electric Picture Palace in Southwold certainly didn’t disappoint!
Electric Picture Palace
The website for the cinema says ‘Electric Picture Palace….not just a cinema’ and having recently been to watch my first and definitely not my last film at this venue, I completely agree! Yes it is so much more than just a cinema!!
Sometimes those things you put off going to, tend to be the best evenings out. A visit to the cinema had been on my list longer that I feel I should mention, but I finally got my act together and booked to see one of the films showing during their Winter season. 
The building looks no bigger than a house but once you enter inside it is a 70 seat cinema and even has seats on a balcony! The cinema is run by the Southwold Film Society and watching a film inside the cinema is like being transported back to the mid 20th Century. I couldn’t help smiling whilst I entered through the door to collect my ticket from the smallest box office I had ever seen! There were more smiles to follow as I explored the cinema on the way to take my seat.
The cinema has a Winter, Spring, Summer and Autumn program that runs throughout the year with a wide range of different films. I went all out on my trip and chose to watch Cinema Paradiso – which was in Italian with subtitles! but it was lovely to be experiencing a new venue and watching a film I’ve not seen in a different language! I really enjoyed it.
I don’t want to tell you too much about the cinema once you enter the doors, as it will spoil the surprises that will greet you on an evening out at this little place. I will just say that I enjoyed my visit so much that I will be back again soon. I seem to now have a growing list of friends I’ve told about my latest adventure who are keen to come along next time too, and experience this hidden suffolk gem for themselves!
Useful Information
I visited the Electric Picture Palace Cinema, Southwold in November 2024
To plan your own trip to this cinema, you will find all the details on their website here
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