Open-air cinema coming to Worthing seafront

Get out your blankets and picnic baskets, because an open-air seaside cinema is coming to Worthing.
An aerial view of Worthing seafrontAn aerial view of Worthing seafront
An aerial view of Worthing seafront

Denton Gardens, next to Beach House Park on Brighton Road, will be transformed into the town’s first-ever alfresco cinema with a giant LED high-definition screen showing three movies a day between Friday, August 10 and Sunday, August 12.

And do not fear if you hear the Jaws soundtrack as you drive past – there are no sharks in the water, it is just one of the films playing on the big screen, some of which are free to view.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Place and Economy Manager Fiona Burn said: “We’re really excited about putting these shows on for the first time in Worthing. We hope that everyone will find at least one film they like and there’s nothing better then watching them on a big screen under a summer sky.”

Denton Gardens will be fenced off, and cinema goers will be invited to bring their own cushions and blankets, or else deckchairs will be available. A full bar and food stalls will also be on offer.

Day-time screenings from 2pm are free and include family favourites such as Horton Hears a Who, Jungle Book (1967), Grease, Top Gun and Titanic. The public are welcome to come and go as they please by the capacity is limited to 499 people at any one time.

As the sun sets movie lovers will be able to settle in and enjoy classics such as Jaws (Sunday 12), sing along with The Greatest Showman (Friday 10) and get stuck into Time Warp classic The Rocky Horror Show (Saturday 11).

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Tickets for evening screenings, priced at £7.50, will be available to purchase in advance from Worthing Theatres Box Office or online at worthingtheatres.co.uk.

The cinema forms part of a wider programme of projects by Worthing Borough Council which it hopes will boost the town centre’s visitor and night-time economies and promote Worthing as a visitor destination.

Councillor Kevin Jenkins, Worthing Borough Council’s Executive Member for Regeneration, said: “I am delighted we are putting these great series of films on. I’d love to see as many people down there enjoying themselves as possible.

“This is all part of our ongoing work on making Worthing a seafront destination. As residents will know we have great plans to modernise and open up our seafront with tree lines streets and alfresco eating. We know that when we build it people will come as we saw when the Worthing Wheel came to Steyne Gardens in the Spring and despite the poor weather thousands queued to ride.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“We have two blue chip restaurant companies looking to open up eateries on the seafront and this year our range of concessions down there is excellent. I’m told paddle boarding is a big favourite.”

Mr Jenkins also revealed which film he will be seeing. He said: “Grease is my favourite. I love it because it takes me back to 1978, I was still at school and with a large group of friends we must have gone at least five or seven times over the first few months to see it when it was first released. It was the sheer simplicity and innocence of the film that captivated us.”