Hot Tub Cinema Pops up on East London Rooftop

At the Pop-Up City we always like new concepts. Talking cinemas, we've seen a lot of new stuff over the past years: a bike-in cinema in Amsterdam, a parasite cinema in an Auckland porch and a pedal-powered cinema in the city of Derby. This summer, however, Londoners could combine watching a movie with taking a hot bath in the so-called Hot Tub Cinema.

The Hot Tub Cinema is a traveling screening event that creates a unique experience for its visitors. Taking over the rooftop of Netil360 in East London, the Hot Tub Cinema was a huge success. Classic films like Top Gun and Anchorman were screened against the background of London’s inimitable skyline.

The initiative of the Hot Tub Cinema started slowly, but began to grow to serious proportions, as explained by one of the initiators:

“Hot Tub Cinema began privately about seven years ago. Since then it has grown in increments, reaching the stage of a handful of hot tubs in a garden in Stoke Newington about 18 months ago at which point we realised it was time to find some new & exciting venues for our expanding endeavors.”

Interesting about the concept of Hot Tub Cinema is that it creates a completely different setting compared to the usual cinema set-up. Normally people sit in rows watching a movie, all looking in the same direction without any invitation to interrelate with each other. The Hot Tub setting, to the contrary, sets a different atmosphere. It is intimate, social and stimulates conversation. When the weather is nice, London gets dark and beers are served, the hot tub setting must be a very special experience. I would not advise to go there on a first date, but when visiting East London you should definitely check it out.