Falmouth’s famous indie cinema, The Poly, has announced its closure.
The building, which was once the Falmouth Arts Centre, has closed it doors with the loss of 14 jobs. The charitable Royal Cornwall Polytechnic Society will continue.
A spokesman said: “The trading company has provided a wide range of film and live events over the past four years and has played a significant role in the life of the local community.
“Unfortunately, due to recent commercial competition and the general economic situation, insufficient income has been available to meet the costs of supporting such a venture, which has had very little public subsidy.’
Check out the history of The Poly on the Falmouth Packet site.
We don’t know if there will be a Save The Poly campaign.
• Can Falmouth support The Poly? Comments below, please
- Female-focused digital film fest | Cine Sisters - June 29, 2022
- Indie cinema magic | Studio 74’s Claire Horrocks casts spells - June 28, 2022
- Events, characters and risk | Graham Pitt on his Tudor films - June 23, 2022
Yes, a campaign is underway and taking practical steps! Coordinating via facebook.
Save our Poly!
Facebook group here:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Save-our-Poly/286431613032?ref=nf
Online petition here:
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/saveourpoly/
Please add your support and spread the word…
You might be able to get a thousand Facebook friends to pay £5 to keep the Poly open but can you get any of them to actually visit the place and watch a movie?
Presumably, if all the members of the FB group had regularly paid to visit the venue, it wouldn’t have got to this dire state of affairs in the first place.
Just wonder if people are more in love with the idea of having an arthouse cinema than the actuality.
It’s no good saying ‘keep the Poly open’ if there’s no strategy for moving forward once it is saved.
Don’t mean to carp – am a hundred per cent behind the campaign. Just interested in future plans to get ‘bums on seats’.
Hmmm.. I wonder what is the true story behind the closure? Poor management? The “recent competition” isn’t really competition as they show new releases. The Poly films have mostly been a bit different and appeal to a different audience. The sudden closure smacks of Hanky Panky to me! Questions need to be asked and answers provided.
As Hans Gruber said, bums on seats. There was always loads of spare seats when I went.
I personally love the idea of art house cinema, there are several small independent film producers around who I am sure would like to show off their work, I’ve seen some brilliant work on the TV.
Saying that there are a load of rubbish films on TV, other countries do brilliant films but we constantly get served with Hollywood garbage, with loads of arguing, explosions, killings and absolutely no storyline, people hiding away from a raving killer in a large house. Would love to find an local outlet that plays foreign and locally/UK produced budget independent films.
Seems pointless trying to compete on main stream films, many of the larger cinemas play to relatively small audiences despite small multiple cinemas. Would also liked to have seen more theatrical/entertainment events.
Like everything these days it comes down to offering a richer experience – meal deals, pre- and post-movie lectures, double bills, late-night screenings, online interaction / networking, film clubs, etc.
Avatar 3D has shown that people will pay over the odds for a unique experience.
People aren’t buying albums anymore but they are still going to gigs because they can’t get that richer experience at home – there’s no reason why the same shouldn’t apply for movie-going.
Obvious, really but surprising how many arthouse cinemas get it wrong.
Everyone is going on about the films, but the poly had a lot more to offer! Over the last 12 years I have had exhibitions in there on more than one occasion each and every year. The money taken for the hire of these rooms and the commision taken ( when required ) should also be taken into consideration. When has the the gallery space ever been completely empty? Not very often. Some peoples art carreers have started from this very space. It’s not just about films.
I cant believe the Poly is going… I used to find it difficult to get to as public transport is rubbish, I’d have to leave ten minutes into a film in order to get home… but now I have a car I am willing to go at least once a month… I have joined that Facebook site too and i wouldnt mind paying a fiver if that means the Poly will be saved… this is the only cinema I know of that plays anime films by my favourite director, one is due out this month but then I found out about the Poly… I cant believe that people would gladly watch that awful Hollywood talentless rubbish or films poorly dubbed into english instead of indulging in culture… please let there be someway of saving the Poly, if not, tell me where there’s a similar cinema in the UK as i have found none so far 🙁
I visited this site to find out when Ponyo was going to be on only to be gobsmacked that the poly is closed!! I am have two teenage children and we all love watching “other than mainstream” movies, I am also at University and find the types of world films shown very informative and enriching, it is important that this type of resource is made available to people, so I wish you every success in findng a solution. Please keep me informed. Good luck.