Aberdeen’s iconic Belmont Cinema has taken another step closer to reopening following a generous investment from The National Lottery.
The initial grant includes £87,438 from the Heritage Fund, which is intended to be used to support work that could release up to £1,412,562. This is reliant upon the successful completion of the development phase.
After the collapse of its operator into administration, The Belmont Cinema closed in October 2022. The same charity managed the Edinburgh Filmhouse, which, after its initial closure, successfully reopened in summer last year.
The Belmont is hoping to follow this path of successful reopening, but adequate funding and support has proven to be difficult to find.
This funding follows a string of successes, including a £100,000 award distributed from Aberdeen City Council, using money from the UK Government’s Shared Prosperity Fund. A further win amounted to £169,000 per year in Multi-Year Funding from Creative Scotland.
Aberdeen’s cinema culture has been heavily declining along with many of the city’s other businesses. Union Street’s Vue closed last month, leaving Union Square’s Cineworld as the city centre’s only remaining film venue.
There is a noticeable gap regarding independent cinemas in Aberdeen. Whilst other Scottish cities thrive in this area, often under the blanket of The Picturehouse chain cinemas, The Belmont’s current closure creates a hole in the market.
The Gaudie spoke with a handful of students who study film at the University of Aberdeen to understand their perspectives on the news. Emily, a third year Film and English student, was left feeling disappointed about the cinematic community upon arriving in Aberdeen to study:
“When I came to Aberdeen originally, I was devastated that The Belmont Cinema closed only the year before, and I felt a bit defeated at the outlook of independent cinema in general.”
However, Emily does feel hopeful about the venue’s promising future:
“I am very excited about the prospect of it reopening. I am a part of the University’s student CineClub committee, so it would be cool to do a trip to a screening at the Belmont and be able to support it as a community.
“I’m also excited about the prospect of having the ability to support more independent, local films and artists, especially with the close of the Vue. Now, Aberdeen’s only cinema is Cineworld, and we are completely at their mercy for what they show, as well as their prices.”
Matt Buchanan, the Belmont team’s Chief Executive Operator, spoke highly of the donation:
“We are delighted to receive this support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund and would like to thank National Lottery players. This funding unlocks the next stage in our development plans which are set to commence in early 2026 and brings us closer than ever to reopening.
“Alongside the renovation activity, the project will celebrate the history and heritage of cinema in Aberdeen, collecting memories, recording oral histories, preserving film equipment, and sharing these histories with the community.”
