With a vision to promote independent cinema, Close-Up was established in 2005. Its original film rental store on Brick Lane was a proper treasure for cinephiles. Since 2014, they moved to a new larger space just off Brick Lane which allowed its expansion. Retaining its extensive film archive, the new venue is also home to a coffee shop and an intimate 40-seat cinema that hosts art house film screenings.
Boasting over 26,000 titles, their collection includes books on anything related to cinema, from film theory and criticism to filmmaker biographies, and an impressive selection of DVDs/Blue Ray that cover a broad spectrum of experimental films, video art, world cinema, and art house films. Memberships (starting from £10 per month) grant access to this vast collection, allowing members to borrow books and DVDs to take home, while most books are also available to read in the café without a membership. Whether you are interested in spaghetti Westerns, Anime or Spanish cinema, there is a book to browse and a few comfy Chesterfield leather sofas to perch and kill time.
Check out their film program for a chance to watch films that rarely make it to the big screen. If you are lucky, you might even catch a bonus Q&A session with the filmmaker. A true gem in London’s cinematic landscape, Close-Up is a must-visit for anyone passionate about film beyond their mainstream.
Find your way with 222 Insider Tips from our Local Spotters
Built back in 2010 on the site of a disused railway line, it’s a local secret: a quiet, forest-like space to retreat to when city life becomes overwhelming.
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Inside, the rooms have distinctly different decorative styles. This is to give an idea of how the house would have looked at each stage in its history.
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It was once the site of the Eel Pie Hotel, a 19th-century guesthouse turned jazz venue and now it’s been transformed into a hippie artists’ colony...
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The domed Arab Hall – a glittering chamber inspired by the inside of the Castello della Zisa in Palermo – is what most visitors come for.
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Features of particular interest include the Architectural Library, the Solar Stair, a central spiral staircase with 52 steps for each week of the year...
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Tucked away in Bermondsey, Morocco Bound does it all, it is at once a bookshop, café, co-working space, beer bar and intimate events venue.
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The Phoenix Garden is remarkably inconspicuous: a bombsite turned car park turned community garden hidden behind high hedges and wrought iron railings.
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"London Fields Lido" is for those rare days when it's actually hot and sunny. Beat the crowds, head over to this colourful pool and meet me there!
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"Caravan" London is one of my favourite restaurants for having one of my favourite meals of the day: brunch. It's easy to savour every last bit here and...
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"Chuku's" in North London serves Nigerian tapas that invites you to 'chop, chat and chill!'
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In the heart of Southeast London sits "Eltham Palace and Gardens". Once a medieval estate, in the '30s it was styled with mesmerizing art deco furnishings.
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222 Insider Tips from our local Spotters
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