One of my favourite places of all time has to be the magical and beautifully time-worn Wilton’s Music Hall. It’s the world’s oldest surviving music hall and was saved from dereliction not so long ago. I first encountered it at a special Magic Numbers gig in January 2010 and immediately fell in love.

Discreetly tucked away down an alley between Wapping and Whitechapel, its beautiful peeling façade is the first sign that you’re about to encounter something quite special.

Inside, you’re met with a truly magical space, a treasure of old-world splendour and glamour with gorgeous ornate detailing – all faded and crumbling. In fact, the whole place feels like it might just crumble at any moment which only adds to the unique atmosphere.

Gorgeously lit with fairy lights and sympathetically but sparsely furnished, it provides the perfect backdrop for intimate gigs, photo shoots and, when available, weddings that will be talked about for years to come. There’s a great little bar too. I can’t wait to go back.

Haydn, Marcella & Tom Page on Flickr

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When we first moved into our Southeast London house, I knew I wanted to remove some dark floral wallpaper in our front room and paint it a light, soothing green. I remembered seeing what looked like a fun paint shop going by the name of Colour Makes People Happy in our neighbourhood, so I decided to check it out.

As soon as I walked in, I knew this was no ordinary paint shop. I was immediately taken by the childlike atmosphere and the wall of paint samples, which are Dutch clogs painted in a rainbow of colour. And I was thoroughly entertained by the paint names such as a hot pink called “many a man in love with a dimple makes the mistake of marrying the whole girl.” I’m certain there is no other paint colour in the world with that name!

Not only can you shop for paint here, but you can also create some cool spin art on a potter’s wheel, host a party, admire art in the gallery space, or watch a film in the cinema room. And you’re likely to have a fun chat with Simon, the charismatic and super creative owner. Whether or not you’re in need of paint, on a grey London day, it’s a great place to pop in for an inspiring dose of colour.

Images by Leigh Metcalf

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There are lots of lovely things about Wimborne but one of the main ones for me is its old fashioned sense of community spirit. Nothing shows this off more than the beautiful Art Deco Tivoli Theatre and Cinema.

Unlike so many of the original Edwardian and Art Deco theatres that didn’t make it, this one was saved from demolition by Wimborne’s loyal locals who also raised the funds to restore it back to its original Art Deco splendour.

Staying true to the 1930s tradition of showing both films and live stage shows it keeps up to date with all the latest feature films and has become a well respected venue for touring musicians. For an Art Deco fan like me it’s the most beautiful time warp, complete with original movie posters lining the walls and a proper sweet shop stand.

I was thrilled to discover that they had even kept the original couples’ seats and when I explained to one of the volunteers that we had fallen in love, their swift reply was to ask if we had fallen in love with the theatre or with each other… I would say a bit of both!

That’s what makes the Tivoli so special to me, the volunteers and their pride and passion for the theatre. You can’t just ask a question about its history,  you will get the whole tour!

Images by Kelly-Marie Burdekin

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Kinema in the Woods is a unique independent cinema hidden away in the woods in Woodhall Spa. Housed in a lovely little 1920s purpose-built building, it’s believed to be the only full-time cinema in the UK still using rear projection. It really is a special place.

There’s a jolly resident organist who plays a Compton Kinestra organ during the intermission, the perfect time to buy an ice cream or some sweets. Their prices are really reasonable. We had ice creams and pop, and still had change from a fiver – you almost feel like you’re in a time warp.

Normally when you’re visiting somewhere you tend not to go to the cinema (because you could do that anywhere) but the Kinema really is a magical experience, no matter what film you choose to see. The history of cinema adorns the walls and a number of display cabinets, so allow yourself plenty of time to look around the foyer beforehand.

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Three Mondays out of four you’ll find me at Hackney Picturehouse. It’s become a bit of a Monday tradition. I love finishing the first day of my working week, heading straight to the café for dinner and a gin and tonic before relaxing into one of their comfy chairs to watch a film. The cinema is housed in a beautiful industrial space and their programme combines a great mix of blockbusters with lesser known independent and foreign titles, meaning there’s always something I want to see. Additional draws include the great value membership and cheaper tickets on Mondays which have so far kept my heart strings well and truly tied.

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My favourite cinema ever is the Harbour Lights in my hometown of Southampton. It’s a lovely little Picture House cinema located on the marina. They have a friendly café bar (with a fish tank for the bar!), a mini art gallery and host quiz nights in addition to a well balanced programme of  independent film and mainstream movies. They also host a range of film clubs for movie enthusiasts of all ages. When I used to go there, they’d have live jazz in the bar on Sundays so you could chill out with a coffee or beer, catch up on the Sunday papers and feel your week’s worries ebb away.

Image courtesy of fotoGB on Flickr

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My favourite cinema is Oxted Cinema in Surrey. It’s a tiny cinema in a mock-tudor building that started life in the 1920s. I first went there as a child and it was such an exciting treat! You used to be given an old fashioned ticket (like a bus ticket) from an equally old fashioned lady at the door. The sweets used to come in cardboard boxes and you had a choice of Maltesers or Fruit Pastels – that was it! Then, best of all, you could buy seats upstairs in the gallery, sit at the front in your plush velvet chair and lean over as though you were at the theatre. It’s changed a bit now, but thankfully it’s been bought by the Everyman chain so it still retains the character of an independant cinema. A real gem!

Image courtesy of jonnyfromthephone on Flickr

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My favourite cinema is the Cottage Road Cinema in Headingley. It is one of the oldest running independent cinemas in the country, and has managed to retain a certain charm and elegance.

You can still pick the seats you would like to sit in, and the old gentleman serving at the ticket booth will offer you the option of paying £1 extra to gain entry to the Pullman seats, which offer the best views in the house and are covered in red velvet! Sweets, drinks, popcorn and ice cream are available at a very reasonable price, and I especially like the offer of a cup of tea for 50p!

After finding your seat, the curtains come up and you are treated to the film of your choice and perhaps a few trailers (no half an hour of car adverts allowed here). When the film is long, there’s always a welcome intermission, allowing you to run to the toilet or stretch your legs, or buy an ice cream from the vendor who still comes to the front of the auditorium. So civilised!

I especially love their classic film nights which are on every six weeks. The retro adverts are a great addition, and the playing of the national anthem at the end makes everyone want to stand up and cheer!

Image courtesy of atoach on Flickr

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Despite knowing that it existed for some time, I only really recently discovered Plymouth Arts Centre hidden in the cobbled streets of Plymouth’s Barbican area. This little gem is an arts exhibition centre, with a small cinema and café bar. The cinema is intimate and extremely comfortable, showing both mainstream films and arty or foreign titles. There is a stylish, well stocked bar in which you can grab a pre-film drink and if you don’t manage to finish it, or one is not enough, then you can take drinks in with you! They also serve popcorn and local ice cream as well as mini chocolate eggs and savoury snacks served in either an espresso or full size coffee cup.

If you’re looking to make a night of it, grab the meal deal which at £12 for a meal and the cinema ticket is just incredible. Eating upstairs in the light, airy restaurant, you can choose one of three yummy dishes, or minus £6.50 from any other dish on the menu (most range about £6-8, with a burger the most expensive at £12). Artisan breads are served on the house as an appetiser, but try the juiciest giant green olives too. While not an expert, to me the wine list was good and I can certainly recommend the Malbec I chose. With the additional sweet potato wedges, I had barely enough room for my chocolate eggs, but it was worth every delicious mouthful.

Check out the website for details of the film showings and other events, and if you don’t fancy a film, it’s the perfect meeting place for a coffee, snack or evening drink.

Photo courtesy of Bush Philosopher on Flickr

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Our favourite café in London is Scooter Caffé on Lower Marsh, near Waterloo. The Scooter Caffé can’t quite decide what kind of place it is. It’s open all day for coffees and cakes but the bar also serves drinks and stays open until late.

The café is filled with old Italian scooters and scooter memorabilia. It’s a fairly eclectic spot and there are some terrifying big cats that are allowed to roam around and sit on the chairs. Customers are left to nervously boot them off if they want to sit down. There are loads of mismatched chairs and tables and a deceptively large downstairs area so you can even have a pretty good party there. If you’re peckish you can pop out for a take-away and bring it back into the bar.

Lower Marsh is fairly quiet at the weekends so the best time to go is during the week. There are some good charity shops, an interesting but expensive vintage shop as well as lots of other random little places worth peering into. There’s a really fun butcher/grocer/café called Greensmiths that sells the most expansive range of fruit and veg we’ve ever seen in London- lots of wacky squashes and South American fruits.

TiYK Top Tip! Scooter Caffé host their weekly film night on a Sunday. Viewings usually start about 7pm – make sure you check the board in the cafe to see what is showing.

Photo courtesy of Miss Immy’s London

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Winchester’s Screen Cinema is an absolute gem and everything a proper local cinema ought to be. Housed in a former barracks chapel, it has big, comfy chairs and glass jars full of tempting homemade-style treats. There’s also a well-stocked bar, and lovely terrace where, if the weather permits, you can enjoy a drink before the film. Best of all, you are allowed to take your wine into the film with you – bliss!

There’s always a good mix of mainstream, foreign and independent films to choose from, and they host regular special screenings and film clubs. When I took my little girl to see ‘Tangled’, Peter booked over the phone and had the ticket information sent to my mobile which was fantastically convenient. You can probably do that at any cinema though, I may well be horribly behind the times!

For me, what makes this little cinema so special is the fact there’s an ice cream lady who wanders up and down the aisle with her tray of tubs before the film starts, and afterwards it’s always nice to make a night of it and head just across the road to the fab Green Man pub for a drink or lovely supper.

Image courtesy of angel_ite on Flickr

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The Aubin Cinema is a tiny, trendy, subterranean cinema in Shoreditch. Everything about it is cool – from the clothes shop upstairs to the loos in the basement which are full of scrumptious Cowshed products.

If the thought of a huge, empty multiplex fills you with dread, The Aubin is like a little gem twinkling at you and inviting you to come and have a closer look! The tiny downstairs bar is manned by trendy (but friendly!) locals who couldn’t be more relaxed about what time you need to take your seat. And the seats – well, they’re the best thing about The Aubin! Velvet armchairs and two-seater sofas make this the cosiest, comfiest cinema I’ve ever been to. And if the lure of a velvet sofa isn’t enough, they also provide you with tartan blankets to snuggle up under, whilst sipping from your glass of wine. This really is cinema in style.

If you’re after an insider tip then I’ve got two words for you: Jazz Corn. Just ask the barman and, with a knowing smile, he’ll serve you up some freshly popped corn sprinkled with chilli powder. It’s addictive. Oh and the 24-hour Beigel Bake on Brick Lane is also a must for satisfying those post-cinema cravings.

Image courtesy of Kerry Polka on Flickr

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