The Regent has 142 seats, a velvet curtain and a popcorn machine older than most of its patrons. It also has a waiting list for its Sunday matinee.
Independent cinemas across the country are reporting their best year since before the pandemic. The recipe is not complicated: a clear point of view, programmes chosen by people who love film, and an evening that feels like going somewhere.
“People can watch anything at home,” said the Regent’s owner. “They come here for the part they can’t get at home: the room.”
