Brixton Oval, Coldharbour Lane,
Brixton,
London,
SW2 1JG
0871 902 5739
The ViewLondon Review
Standard ticket price and discounts: £6.50 (£3.50 concessions, plus £4 all day on Mondays and weekdays before 6pm, £2 on daily world cinema matinees).
Capacity: Screen One (352), Screen Two (179), Screen Three (125), Screen Four (108), Screen 5 (84).
Facilities: two bars, concession stand, food served, selection of film postcards for sale.
Special Features: Sunday matinee double-bills (two films for £6.50), late-night screenings on Fri & Sat, daily world cinema matinees, children’s matinees, special sub-titled screenings of English-language films, various special arts events.
The Ritzy is a superb, independent arthouse / mainstream cinema that
inspires fierce loyalty amongst its regulars. Its location may seem out-of-the-way, but in fact it’s a mere 15 minute tube ride from Victoria station.It has a colourful and ‘funky’ atmosphere and a combination of comfortable and café-style seating. It has two bars: the Ritzy Bar (fully licensed) at street level and The Ritzy Café (also licensed) on the first floor, which has more comfortable sofas and armchairs and has various film guides and magazines scattered about for patrons to browse through.
The Ritzy Café also serves food and provides a nice variety of savoury and sweet dishes.
In addition, the box office also houses the more traditional concession stand, serving popcorn, sweets, ice cream and soft drinks.
The sound quality in each screen is generally good.
Screen One, in particular is excellent, with the elusive perfect combination of head-rests and ample leg-room in its seating.
Screens two-through-five, however, aren’t as well-kept and have marginally more cramped seating, although at least the front rows aren’t too close to the screens.
The Ritzy’s main asset is a combination of its relaxed, friendly atmosphere
and its dedicated balance of mainstream and arthouse fare, ranging from the
latest blockbusters to recent arthouse hits and classic films.
Also, at a mere £2, their daily world cinema matinees offer the best value screenings in London.