Independent Cinemas are the Heart of the Leisure Sector
By the Magic Lantern Cinema, Tywyn, first published in Business News Wales
Independent cinemas are essential to the leisure sector and local economies but are also a critical part of the social and cultural fabric of our lives.
Here in mid-Wales, our community often reminds the Magic Lantern – through words, actions and spend, what we mean to them.
There are many fabulous cinemas across Wales and the UK, so we were hugely honoured to be selected as the first ever BIFA (British Independent Film Awards) ‘UK Cinema of the Year’ in November 2025. We were short-listed alongside 4 other UK cinemas and film industry representatives based their decision on information we supplied, as well as voter comments.
We received a massive wave of support and the second round of public voting brought the award home here to Tywyn on the west coast of Wales, giving a big boost to the town’s sense of place.
Our strong presence in Tywyn is felt not only through our bright and beautiful building but through the diversity and dynamism of what we offer visiting and local audiences.
Even before the BIFA award, people would frequently say how proud they felt of ‘their’ cinema, and new businesses in town say they have been inspired by our ambitious programme, improvements and innovations, building a strong year-round business from one that had previously focussed on tourists and school holidays.
We play a mix of films at the Magic Lantern, that in June for instance, will range from global blockbuster ‘Star Wars: Mandalorian and Grogu’ to independent films made in Wales, such as ‘Effi o Blaenau’ and classics such as ‘Back to the Future’.
Diverse films are the life-blood of an independent cinema, bringing a varied group of people through the doors, meaning we avoid dependency on one audience demographic and income. A creative programme also benefits our team spirit, staff retention and business profile.
Our team works to keep our cinema experience fresh. Screenings are often complemented with a talk or discussion, craft workshop or live performance – maybe even a beach-clean, a treasure-hunt, a circus workshop, a clothes swap, a chocolate tasting… or an appearance from a horse, a giant panda or a pantomime camel!
An essential part of the Magic Lantern experience is ‘connecting’. Community outreach and having staff who take time to chat a little is of the utmost importance to our audiences. In knowing they are valued, people feel connected. The ambience at the cinema is a highlight for people. Yes, we show great films and have great events, we serve wonderful cocktails and ice-creams plus lip-smacking snacks and treats – but the most talked about feature of the Magic Lantern is always the friendliness of the team. It’s a great place to meet and make friends!
Diverse income streams are important. People can buy our merchandise, or book us for birthdays, weddings and wakes. Venue hire at the Magic Lantern works well for large meetings – we have a fantastic screen for presentations!
We make the most of digital advances to bring in new audiences, booking fabulous theatre from NT Live, art from Exhibition on Screen (‘The Playboy of the Western World’ and ‘Frida Kahlo’ are next up) and incredible opera, ballet, pop concerts and musicals from a range of distributors.
We include a healthy selection of live performance in our programme – whether comedy, story-telling, theatre or our regular ‘Friday Night is Music Night’ which is free and provides an outlet for a whole realm of mostly home-grown musical talent. A monthly highlight of the ‘FNIMN’ is the Open Mic Night, which has offered many people – mostly young – their first opportunity to perform in front of an audience.
We are optimistic that our programme of celebrations for our 125th anniversary this year will draw local audiences but also tempt visitors from Wales and even further afield. They can enjoy our ‘throwback Thursdays’ during summer with classics like ‘Singing in the Rain’ or ‘Dirty Dancing’. Who could possibly resist our shoulder-season shenanigans as we create a piano jazz bar for a screening of ‘Casablanca’, an American Diner for ‘Grease’ and a beautiful experience around ‘The Adventures of Prince Achmed’ with a live score by Hugo Max!
People go to the pub over the road if they fancy a pint, book a meal at a local restaurant, or grab some lunch or a coffee and cake with friends at one of the great local cafes before or after a film. What is important is that local people come to town as a result of the Magic Lantern. They spend, they socialise and they know that Tywyn is a great place to visit, live and go out! Venues like ours breathe life into towns.
