The Belmont Cinema

The building was constructed in 1896 as a trades hall to a design by architects, Alexander Ellis and Robert Gordon Wilson. It was principally used for meetings of Aberdeen's newly established Labour Movement.{{HEScotland|num=LB20132|desc=49 AND 51 BELMONT STREET, THE BELMONT PICTUREHOUSE (FORMER TRADES COUNCIL HALL)|access-date=2019-08-17}} The first film was shown on the premises in 1898, and featured footage of Queen Victoria at Balmoral Castle, establishing a tradition of hosting visiting cinema shows. In 1910, the Trades Hall was converted into a permanent cinema called the Coliseum. It was refurbished and reopened as the New Kinema in 1921.

After another refurbishment in 1935, it was renamed the Belmont Cinema. It closed in 1953, and the building was converted into a warehouse. It reopened under lease to Picturehouse Cinemas as the Belmont Picturehouse in September 2000, after a major refurbishment by Aberdeen City Council with assistance from the National Lottery and Scottish Screen.{{Cite web|title=History {{!}} Belmont Filmhouse|url=https://www.belmontfilmhouse.com/about/history|access-date=2021-11-01|website=www.belmontfilmhouse.com}}

After some turmoil and uncertainty, the lease for exploitation on the Belmont to Picturehouse was extended in April 2011 for a further ten years.{{Cite news |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-13194239 |title=Belmont cinema 'set to be saved' |date=2011-04-26 |access-date=2019-08-17 |work=BBC News |language=en-GB}} However, with the purchase of Picturehouse Cinemas by Cineworld, the company were forced to sell the Belmont due to a ruling by the Competition Commission that it had created unfair competition in the city.{{cite web|url=http://news.stv.tv/north/242349-cineworld-to-sell-belmont-picturehouse-in-aberdeen-over-price-fears/|title='Business as usual' for iconic Belmont cinema after takeover|date=8 October 2013|publisher=STV News|accessdate=19 December 2014}}

In April 2014, Centre for the Moving Image (CMI) took over the lease and renamed the premises Belmont Filmhouse as a sister cinema to the Edinburgh Filmhouse. It closed in October 2022 when CMI ceased trading and entered administration.{{Cite news |url=https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/news/aberdeen-aberdeenshire/4881514/belmont-filmhouse-stops-trading/ |title=Belmont Filmhouse Stops Trading |last=Roy |first=Cameron |date=2022-10-06 |access-date=2022-10-06 |work=The Press and Journal |location=Aberdeen |language=en-GB}}

Following CMI's collapse, the 'Save The Belmont Cinema' campaign was founded by local cinephiles and business people.{{Cite news |url=https://news.stv.tv/north/campaign-to-save-aberdeens-belmont-filmhouse-after-sudden-closure |title=Campaign to save Aberdeen's Belmont Filmhouse after sudden closure |last=Smith |first=Anne |date=11 October 2022 |access-date=5 September 2024 |work=STV News}} This led to the creation of Belmont Community Cinema Ltd, a local charity dedicated to reopening the Belmont which was selected as preferred operator for the cinema by Aberdeen City Council in September 2023.{{Cite web |url=https://www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/news/preferred-operator-agreed-belmont-cinema |title=Preferred operator agreed for Belmont Cinema |date=13 September 2023 |access-date=5 September 2024 |work=Aberdeen City Council}}

At a public meeting in October 2023, the new company pledged to put film, education, community and customer experience at the heart of a newly reinvigorated offering at the site.{{Cite web |url=https://belmontcinema.co.uk/latest/highlights-from-public-meeting-of-the-belmont-cinema |title=Highlights from public meeting of The Belmont Cinema |access-date=5 September 2024 |work=The Belmont Cinema}}

The cinema is a grade C listed building.

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• {{Official website}}

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Category:Culture in Aberdeen

Category:Cinemas in Scotland

Category:Category C listed buildings in Aberdeen

Category:1910 establishments in Scotland

Category:2022 disestablishments in Scotland