Hastings’ original Electric Palace was located in the town from 1910-1915, in the
building currently occupied by Sports Direct.
In 2002 the cinema as we know it now was founded by Rebecca Marshall and
Rachel Pearson who renovated the upstairs events space of the Old Hastings Club
for the film festival: Shot By the Sea. With a tin or red paint and set of (very
uncomfortable) chairs the Electric Palace film society was born. Along with a large
team of 30 volunteers the society hosted regular screenings, archive film projects,
community projects, open-air events at Alexandra Park and starlight screenings at
Herstmonceaux Castle.
In 2016 the cinema was awarded ‘Best Film Programming of the Year’ at the
Cinema for All Annual Awards and in 2017 established a new website, online
booking system and paid projectionists – and a new set of plush vintage (and
comfortable) cinema seats.
2020’s COVID pandemic forced the cinema to close. But with aid from the BFI
cultural support fund, alongside a successful crowdfunder campaign the cinema
was kept alive.
In 2022 the cinema celebrated its 20th anniversary, after which Rebecca Marshall
stood down as director to pursue her filmmaking career. Antonia Clarke and Julia
Andrews-Clifford, joined remaining director Annie Mannion to oversee the
expansion and development plan and ensure the cinema survived and thrived in
the new post-COVID climate.
Hastings is the home of TV – John Logie Baird built his first set here – and, in 2024,
the cinema celebrated its first TV festival. This coincided with new, longer opening
hours and improved technical capabilities.
In 2025 the Klim Forster Stills Archive was donated to the cinema, and was used
to redecorate the new foyer. The Electric Palace also won successful funding bids
to participate in BFI’s UK-Wide programmes: Powell and Pressburger; The Art of
Action: Too Much Melodrama. We also received Film Hub South East funding in
2023, 2024 and 2025 to deliver new audience development projects and improve
our accessibility, reaching more people in the wider local area.
