Electric Picture House
Corporate brand
UnclaimedElectric Picture House is a long-running independent cinema in Wotton-under-Edge, Gloucestershire, operating a single-screen venue with evening film screenings and occasional matinees.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
Electric Picture House is the operating name of the historic cinema in Wotton-under-Edge, Gloucestershire, England, commonly identified as Wotton Electric Picture House or Wotton Cinema. Its origins date to 1913, when an upstairs room in the former Crown Inn on Market Street was converted into a venue for silent-film screenings. The cinema is notable for its longevity, repeated revivals, and survival as a small independent venue in a market increasingly dominated by multiplexes and home entertainment. The original cinema was established after William and Mrs. William Coe purchased the de-licensed Crown Inn in 1911. The upstairs banqueting room was adapted for film exhibition two years later. Demand exceeded the capacity of the first room, and a purpose-built auditorium was created in 1921 after the demolition of the inn's old stables. The new auditorium seated approximately 220 people. Sound equipment was added in 1930, allowing the venue to show talking pictures and helping it compete with nearby cinemas that had not yet made the transition. The cinema remained open through the Second World War, screening both black-and-white and colour films. Colour projection required additional electrical power, and the venue's use of gas alongside its generator reportedly caused Market Street's lighting to dim during some colour-film presentations. After the war, the cinema continued to attract local audiences. In 1947, the Coe family sold it to C. M. Jenner, who operated it with his daughter and son-in-law for more than a decade. Falling attendance caused by the growing popularity of television led to closure in 1960. It reopened in 1963 under former projectionist Michael Chappell and fellow projectionist Adrian Wicks, but closed again after approximately eighteen months in 1965. Following that closure, the auditorium was acquired by Synwell Boxing Club and repurposed for bingo, while the club continued to use the upstairs area. The cinema tradition was revived in 1993 when Andy Coudry and Jess Elton reopened the venue as the Town Cinema. That operation ended in 2002. Local residents then organized fundraising, sought sponsorship, and obtained permissions to restore cinema use. The venue reopened in November 2005 as the Electric Picture House, with a reduced capacity of about 100 seats. Jeff and Janet Walshe oversaw the reconstruction and ran the cinema with volunteer support. Technology and programming were subsequently modernized. In 2007, the venue became one of the first cinemas in the United Kingdom to adopt digital projection. Satellite equipment was installed in 2013, enabling live broadcasts of theatre and other cultural productions. In late 2013, following declining ticket sales and the Walshes' retirement, Gareth Negus and Samantha Osborn took over as commercial operators after nearly a decade of volunteer management. They expanded the screening schedule and introduced paid staff alongside volunteers. In 2015, management was transferred to their company, The Electric Picture House Cinema Ltd. The cinema closed temporarily during the COVID-19 pandemic and later reopened in 2020 with reduced seating before returning to its normal arrangement. It remains a one-screen independent cinema using a laser projector and continues to show at least one film most days, principally in the evening, with occasional matinee screenings. Its positioning combines local cultural service, heritage, community involvement, and a compact alternative to larger commercial cinema chains.
History
The cinema's history begins in 1911, when William and Mrs. William Coe acquired the Crown Inn on Market Street in Wotton-under-Edge after it had ceased to operate as a licensed public house. In 1913, an upstairs room that had previously served as a banqueting room was converted into the Electric Picture House. The venue initially showed silent films and quickly became a popular local attraction. By 1920, the available seating was insufficient for demand, prompting the construction of a larger auditorium. The old stables were demolished and a new auditorium opened in 1921 with seating for approximately 220 people. Sound projection arrived in 1930. This allowed the cinema to present talking pictures and gave it a competitive advantage over nearby cinemas in Thornbury and Dursley that had not yet installed comparable equipment. During the Second World War, the venue continued operating and showed both black-and-white and colour films. Colour presentations required more power, so the cinema supplemented its generator with gas; accounts of the period describe Market Street's streetlights dimming while colour films were being shown. The venue remained popular after the war. The Coes sold the cinema in 1947 to C. M. Jenner, a retired farmer. Jenner operated it with his daughter and son-in-law for more than ten years. The expanding availability of television reduced cinema attendance, and Jenner closed the venue in 1960. It reopened in 1963 under Michael Chappell, who had previously worked as a projectionist at the cinema, and fellow projectionist Adrian Wicks. Their operation lasted roughly eighteen months and ended with another closure in 1965. The auditorium then changed use. Synwell Boxing Club purchased the property and adapted the former cinema space for bingo, while continuing to occupy the upstairs area. Cinema use returned in 1993, when Andy Coudry and Jess Elton reopened the venue as the Town Cinema. After operating for nine years, the Town Cinema closed in 2002. The next revival was led by local residents who wanted to preserve cinema access in the town. They raised funds, sought sponsors, and obtained the necessary permissions for a reopening. In November 2005, the venue returned as the Electric Picture House with around 100 seats. Jeff and Janet Walshe managed the project, including reconstruction of the auditorium, and worked with a substantial volunteer team. The reopening restored the building's cinema function while giving it a smaller, community-oriented operating model. Technical modernization followed. In 2007, the cinema adopted digital projection, making it one of the early United Kingdom venues to do so. In 2013, satellite equipment was installed to support live theatre broadcasts and similar cultural programming. Later that year, declining ticket sales coincided with the retirement of the Walshes. Gareth Negus and Samantha Osborn took over as commercial operators, implementing a transition that had been contemplated since the 2005 reopening. By 2014, they had increased the number of screenings and combined paid employees with volunteers. In 2015, management passed to The Electric Picture House Cinema Ltd. The cinema closed during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom. It reopened later in 2020 under reduced-capacity arrangements and subsequently restored standard seating. The venue operates as a one-screen cinema equipped with a laser projector, showing at least one film per day in the evening as of the latest supplied reference, with occasional matinees. Its repeated closures and revivals, local fundraising history, early adoption of digital projection, and continuing independent operation distinguish it from a conventional multiplex chain.
- 2020
Pandemic closure and reopening
[1]The cinema closed during COVID-19 restrictions and later reopened with reduced seating before restoring standard capacity.
- 2015
Management moves to The Electric Picture House Cinema Ltd.
[1]The company associated with Gareth Negus and Samantha Osborn became the cinema's management operator.
- 2013
Satellite cultural programming begins
[1]Satellite equipment was installed for live theatre and other cultural broadcasts.
- 2007
Digital projection introduced
[1]The cinema adopted digital projection and became one of the early United Kingdom venues to do so.
- 2005
Electric Picture House reopens
[1]Following local fundraising and restoration work, the venue reopened in November with approximately 100 seats.
- 2002
Town Cinema closes
[1]The Town Cinema operation ended after approximately nine years.
- 1993
Reopens as the Town Cinema
[1]Andy Coudry and Jess Elton revived cinema operations under the Town Cinema name.
- 1965
Cinema use ends and auditorium is repurposed
[1]After another closure, Synwell Boxing Club acquired the auditorium and converted it for bingo.
- 1963
Cinema reopens under former projectionists
[1]Michael Chappell and Adrian Wicks reopened the venue, though the operation ended after approximately eighteen months.
- 1960
Cinema closes amid television competition
[1]The venue closed after ticket sales declined as television became increasingly popular.
Products and positioning
A historic, independent community cinema combining local cultural service with modern digital and laser projection in a compact single-screen venue.
Cinema exhibition · 1913
Main-screen film programme
The cinema's core offering is a programme of feature-film screenings in a single auditorium. The venue generally emphasizes evening screenings, with occasional matinees, and operates at the scale of an independent local cinema rather than a multiplex. Its current projection infrastructure includes a laser projector.
Satellite cinema · 2013
Live cultural broadcasts
Since the installation of satellite equipment in 2013, Electric Picture House has been able to present live theatre productions and related cultural events. This extends the venue's role beyond recorded film exhibition and allows a small local cinema to participate in event-cinema programming.
Brand decisions
2020
Pandemic reopening with reduced seatingStrategyBackground
United Kingdom COVID-19 restrictions forced the cinema to suspend operations.
Action taken
The venue reopened later in 2020 with reduced seating and subsequently returned to standard seating arrangements.
Aftermath
The cinema resumed its independent screening operations after the temporary closure.
2013
Launch of satellite event cinemaProduct launchBackground
The venue sought to broaden its programming beyond conventional film screenings.
Action taken
Satellite equipment was installed to show live theatre productions and other cultural broadcasts.
Aftermath
The installation added live cultural programming to the cinema's offering.
2013
Transition from volunteer management to commercial operationOtherBackground
Declining ticket sales coincided with the retirement of Jeff and Janet Walshe after the cinema's volunteer-led revival period.
Action taken
Gareth Negus and Samantha Osborn assumed operational responsibility as commercial operators.
Aftermath
The cinema increased its screening schedule and combined paid staff with volunteers; management later moved to The Electric Picture House Cinema Ltd.
2007
Adoption of digital projectionGeneration changeBackground
The cinema needed contemporary projection capability while remaining a small independent venue.
Action taken
It introduced digital projection and became one of the early cinemas in the United Kingdom to use the technology.
Aftermath
Digital projection modernized the venue's exhibition capability and supported its continued operation as an independent cinema.
Sources2 sources
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