The Ritzy was originally opened in March 1911 and was in those days called The Electric Pavilion. As with most cinemas at the time it was fitted with an organ and could seat up to 750 people in the one auditorium. It is one of the earliest cinemas in the UK to be built for the purpose of showing film.
In 1954 the Organ was removed and the cinema was renamed The Pullman, before it changed name again to The Classic. 1976 saw it close down for a time, and so it became a little run down and forgotten about.
Eventually the front was rebuilt and the cinema was restored to its original condition and reopened as the Ritzy. It now holds 5 screens of various sizes, has a bar, café, a roof terrace with views over central Brixton and is often used for staging musical and poetry evenings as well of course as showing old and new movies of varying genres.
The regeneration of Windrush Square has made it possible for the Ritzy to now have outside seating and create an almost European feel, it's just a shame we don't have the same weather a Parisian pavement café can enjoy!