NOSTALGIC staff at Stratford’s Picturehouse have come up with a novel way of collecting memories of cinema-goers.
The Windsor Street cinema – which has been there more than 20 years – is set to close in January with plans to replace it with an 81-room hotel.
Staff came up with the idea of creating a ‘pensieve’ – a memory ‘basin’ featured in JK Rowling’s popular Harry Potter franchise – after comments poured in following the announcement of its closure.
Marketing manager Elliot Wallis said: “We are all obviously very sad about the cinema closing. It’s such a shame for Stratford’s community, particularly all of our regulars.
“The ‘Picturehouse Pensieve’ was created after the stream of comments we had on our closing notice on Facebook. It was quite overwhelming. We wanted a way for people to share their thoughts and comments themselves in the cinema.
“We have this lovely glass wall that opens onto our balcony and so we gave people pens and let them loose!
“It took a while for comments to start building but once a few people had written, more and more started appearing. I’m so pleased at how it’s filled up and that people have been sharing such lovely memories. It amazing to see how much this cinema has been a part of people’s lives over the last 22 years.”
Memories spanned from meeting significant others and proud parent moments during showcase music performances, to special screening events including parent and baby and vintage classics.
