ActOne Cinema has received a royal boost after Prince William visited the community-run Acton venue, met young local filmmakers — and even tried his hand at serving popcorn.

 

A cinema created by local residents inside Acton’s historic former library has found itself in the national spotlight after a visit from the Prince of Wales.

Prince William visited ActOne Cinema on Acton High Street on Tuesday 22 September, meeting the volunteers and team behind the independent cinema as well as young filmmakers and creators from the local community.

The timing could hardly have been better.

ActOne celebrates its fifth birthday on 8 October 2026, marking five years since local residents succeeded in bringing the former Passmore Edwards Library back into community use.

At a Glance

• Prince William visited ActOne Cinema in Acton

• The visit took place on 22 September 2026

• ActOne celebrates its fifth anniversary on 8 October

• The cinema is independent and community-led

• It occupies Acton’s historic former Passmore Edwards Library

• More than 100 volunteers originally helped prepare the building for reopening

• ActOne now has two 60-seat cinema screens

• Prince William met young local filmmakers and creators

• Some of those filmmakers have had work selected for the Ealing Film Festival

• The Prince even served popcorn and helped sell cinema tickets during his visit

 

From Empty Library to Community Cinema

The story behind ActOne is perhaps even more interesting than the royal visit itself.

The historic former library on Acton High Street had been closed since 2014.

Local residents, concerned about the future of the building, campaigned for more than four years to bring it back into community use.

 

In April 2021, a lease was signed and an extraordinary volunteer effort began.

According to Acton Arts Project, more than 100 volunteers helped clear, clean and paint the building before contractors arrived to construct the first cinema screen.

 

ActOne officially opened on 8 October 2021.

What had been an empty historic building was once again being used by the people of Acton.

 

Prince William Goes Behind the Counter

The Prince of Wales did more than simply tour the cinema.

During the visit he went behind the counter, served popcorn to ActOne regulars and attempted to process cinema tickets.

He also spent time inside one of ActOne’s two screens talking with young filmmakers about the challenges of building careers in the film industry.

 

Several of the filmmakers have been supported by ActOne in creating and releasing their work, while some have short films selected for October’s Ealing Film Festival.

That gave the visit a particularly strong local connection.

It was not simply about celebrating cinema as entertainment, but about recognising how an independent venue can provide opportunities for emerging creative talent.

 

More Than Somewhere to Watch a Film

ActOne now operates two 60-seat screening rooms, alongside a café and lounge in the former children’s library.

Its programme includes independent and international films, documentaries, filmmaker events and selected mainstream releases.

But its community role extends beyond the normal cinema programme.

 

ActOne runs parent-and-baby screenings, relaxed screenings for neurodivergent audiences and classic-film matinees.

It has also worked with local schools, youth organisations, charities and community groups.

That mixture of cinema and community activity is central to what the project was designed to achieve.

 

A Fifth Birthday Worth Celebrating

The royal visit arrives just weeks before ActOne marks five years since opening.

A special anniversary programme is planned, including screenings, guests, live music and other activities.

For the people who spent years campaigning for the building and the volunteers who helped transform it, the anniversary represents considerably more than five years of showing films.

 

It marks five years since an empty building was returned to community use.

ActOne director Nick Jones described Prince William’s visit as an “amazing boost” for the cinema and recognition of what local residents had achieved.

Putting Acton’s Young Filmmakers in the Spotlight

Perhaps one of the most significant elements of the visit was the attention given to young filmmakers.

 

Prince William spoke with local creators about entering an industry that can be notoriously difficult to break into.

ActOne’s ability to provide screenings, filmmaker events and connections with organisations such as the Ealing Film Festival means a small community cinema can potentially play a much larger role in developing local creative talent.

The Prince also met representatives of the Film and TV Charity and discussed access, inclusion and support for people working within the industry.

 

A Community Success Story Made in Acton

Royal visits inevitably generate headlines.

But the bigger story here began years before Prince William walked through ActOne’s doors.

It began when Acton residents decided that an empty historic building could become useful to their community again.

 

They campaigned for it and volunteers helped restore it.

And five years later, the former library contains two cinema screens, a café, community spaces and a growing programme supporting local audiences and filmmakers.

Prince William’s visit has now introduced that story to a much wider audience.

For ActOne, it is an impressive way to begin its fifth-birthday celebrations.

For Acton, it is also a reminder of what can happen when local people come together to give an old building a completely new life.