12th December 2022
Open every day throughout the Christmas and New Year period, the Keswick Alhambra Cinema is situated in the heart of the Lake District. It expects to be one of only five cinemas in the whole of the UK to welcome customers on Christmas Day itself, the nearest alternatives being hundreds of miles away in Glasgow and Leicester.
The independent and family owned and run cinema is showing five films on December 25th:
– the classic “The Bishop’s Wife” (5.15pm)
– family favourites “Elf” (4.00pm) and the Muppet Christmas Carol in its 30th anniversary re-release (3.30pm)
– then in the evening we have the two big hits of the moment “Matilda the Musical” (7.30pm) and “Avatar: The Way of Water” (6.30pm).
Christmas Day opening at the Alhambra started in 2020 during the Covid lockdown. There were many people in Keswick who couldn’t travel to be with their families or to host them here for Christmas, and we thought that opening the cinema would be a way of providing festive cheer for those separated from their loved ones.
Co-owner Jonathan Moore said: “Word of mouth spread and the following year we found that all sorts of people wanted to come out on Christmas Day, including some as an integral part of their Christmas Day plans and others, including those who don’t celebrate Christmas, who were happy to find the cinema open that day.”
“The cinema raises funds over Christmas for the Cumbria Foundation Winter Warmth Fund by selling home-made mince pies and mulled wine. The Foundation also receives all the profit from the Christmas Day films. Importantly this year we will be also able to directly help those struggling to heat their homes by providing a warm and welcoming place to be.
“On Christmas Day our doors will be open from 2.30pm – 11.00pm and with five great films to see – I am sure there will be a really lovely atmosphere” Jonathan added.
Website: www.keswickalhambra.co.uk