The UK's best outdoor cinemas

Open-air cinema on the roof of Peckham's Bussey Building

Rooftop Film Club in Peckham: the 'perfect' spot to watch the sun go down

(Image credit: Simon Turner / Alamy)

published 24 July 2025

As Britain basks in the sun, outdoor cinemas have been "popping up" everywhere from swimming pools to parks, said The Times. Some screenings offer comfy deckchairs or sofas, while others encourage you to turn up with a picnic blanket and plenty of snacks. And while there remains a "very British sense of jeopardy when it comes to the weather forecast", it's well worth trying to catch an al fresco film this summer. Here are our top picks.

Sunset Cinema, Cardigan Castle, Pembrokeshire

Milford Haven's Torch Theatre runs its Sunset Cinema screenings at a handful of locations around the country each year but its Cardigan venue is "particularly special", said The Times. The screen is set amid the "melange of medieval ruins" and sprawling Victorian gardens in the castle grounds. This summer's programme includes screenings of "Toy Story", "Elvis" and "The Lion King". No seating is provided so make sure you bring a picnic rug or low-backed camping chair and some popcorn. Nearby, the "handsome" stone Albion hotel is the "coolest place to stay in town".
cardigancastle.com

Moonlight Flicks, Chester, Cheshire

Storyhouse has been bringing open-air cinema experiences to Chester for over a decade and for this year's venue, it's chosen Grosvenor Park, said Radio Times. Deckchairs and headphones are provided and if you get hungry you can order a wood-fired pizza. There are plenty of films to choose from in July and August from "catchy musicals" to "cult classics".
storyhouse.com

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Big Screen in the City, Exeter, Devon

This "iconic" cinema event is back for its 22nd year, when Princesshay Square will be "transformed" into an "immersive outdoor film experience" at the end of August, said Devon Live. Movie fans will be able to "enjoy much-loved classics" during the five-day "marathon" with the "illuminated Exeter Cathedral" providing a "stunning backdrop".
exeterphoenix.com

Wild Rumpus, Ilkley Lido, West Yorkshire

Bradford's City of Culture programme this summer includes a series of outdoor film screenings with "surprise immersive elements", said The Times. Ilkley Lido will be showing "Everybody's Talking about Jamie" and "Sexy Beast" at the end of August, while Thornton Viaduct will make an excellent backdrop for "The Grand Budapest Hotel" in September. And if you're looking for a "pleasant spot to retreat to afterwards", drive to the nearby Wheatley Arms in Ben Rhydding.
wildrumpus.org.uk

Rooftop Film Club, Peckham, London

Peckham's Bussey Building (pictured above) hosts regular cinema screenings on the roof from April to October. Romances like "The Notebook" are "usual crowd pullers" while horrors like "Midsommar" are "perfect to watch as the sun goes down over the city", said Time Out. The venue hands out soundproof headphones, comfy blankets and, when it drizzles, even raincoats.
rooftopfilmclub.com

Irenie Forshaw is a features writer at The Week, covering arts, culture and travel. She began her career in journalism at Leeds University, where she wrote for the student newspaper, The Gryphon, before working at The Guardian and The New Statesman Group. Irenie then became a senior writer at Elite Traveler, where she oversaw The Experts column.