Originally conceived as a Virgin Cinema, it eventually opened under the auspices of French company UGC, who took took over the scheme during construction when Virgin exited the cinema market. Featuring 18 screens, it was officially certified as the World's Tallest Cinema at 62 metres, or 203 feet, high. This record-breaking seemed fitting given that it occupied the former site of Green's Playhouse, which was the largest cinema ever built in the UK by seating capacity (4,368 in a single auditorium).
Architecturally, the plaudits it gained were rather less celebratory - in 2000, before it even opened, Prospect magazine awarded it Carbuncle of the Year. It opened on the 20th September 2001. With the sheer number of screens and a unique Unlimited scheme which allowed cardholders to see as many films as they liked for £10 a month, it soon began to have an impact on the city centre's only remaining traditional cinema, the Paramount / Odeon, which was sold to developers two years later and closed in 2006.
Original 2001 seating capacities (and screen sizes):
Originally conceived as a Virgin Cinema, it eventually opened under the auspices of French company UGC, who took took over the scheme during construction when Virgin exited the cinema market. Featuring 18 screens, it was officially certified as the World's Tallest Cinema at 62 metres, or 203 feet, high. This record-breaking seemed fitting given that it occupied the former site of Green's Playhouse, which was the largest cinema ever built in the UK by seating capacity (4,368 in a single auditorium).
Architecturally, the plaudits it gained were rather less celebratory - in 2000, before it even opened, Prospect magazine awarded it Carbuncle of the Year. It opened on the 20th September 2001. With the sheer number of screens and a unique Unlimited scheme which allowed cardholders to see as many films as they liked for £10 a month, it soon began to have an impact on the city centre's only remaining traditional cinema, the Paramount / Odeon, which was sold to developers two years later and closed in 2006.
Original 2001 seating capacities (and screen sizes):
| Screen | Seats | Screen width |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 170 | 34 ft |
| 2 | 157 | 31 ft |
| 3 | 663 | 60 ft |
| 4 | 193 | 36 ft |
| 5 | 218 | 35 ft |
| 6 | 138 | 30 ft |
| 7 | 434 | 48 ft |
| 8 | 196 | 34 ft |
| 9 | 243 | 36 ft |
| 10 | 181 | 35 ft |
| 11 | 374 | 42 ft |
| 12 | 196 | 35 ft |
| 13 | 243 | 36 ft |
| 14 | 181 | 35 ft |
| 15 | 374 | 41 ft |
| 16 | 84 | 30 ft |
| 17 | 84 | 30 ft |
| 18 | 177 | 43 ft |
With an original total capacity of around 4,300 seats, it almost matched its predecessor on the site, albeit over 18 screens instead of 1!
Screen 3 was the largest, with seats for 663 patrons and a screen measuring 18.4m x 8.4m (60 feet x 27 feet). All screens were wall-to-wall and, with no tabs or masking, the ragged edges of the 35mm frame was visible in films showing at anything less than Scope ratio prior to the switch to digital projection. A party room and large bar also featured initially, and all floors could be reached by lifts or a large number of feature escalators, which were visible externally. Original layout was:
| Level | Contains |
|---|---|
| Level 0 | Foyer and Box Office |
| Level 1 | Bar |
| Level 2 | Screens 1 - 3 & Party Room |
| Level 3 | Screens 4 - 7 |
| Level 4 | Screens 8 - 11 |
| Level 5 | Screens 12 - 15 |
| Level 6 | Screen 16 - 18 |
UGC sold its UK exhibition arm to Cineworld in late 2004 and, apart from a handful of cinemas which were disposed of to meet competition regulations, the rest were retained and rebranded, including Renfrew Street in September 2005. A 4DX screen, which moving chairs, wind, light and water effects was added in March 2012. Further alterations under Cineworld's ownership included the splitting of the bar area to provide a coffee shop, the closure of the party room and the removal of the box office in the foyer once digital ticketing and ticket sales via shop tills became the norm. The top floor screens were briefly converted to a luxury experience with a buffet and unlimited drinks and snacks included in the ticket price.
Most of the screens were entered via a side corridor which opened out onto the screen end and decoration was minimal, being largely black boxes with patterned lighting from the light fittings.
By the 2020s, parent company Cineworld was experiencing major financial difficulties, closing many sites and attempting to renegotiate leases on others. The Renfrew Street site was sold to Irish multiplex operators Omniplex, who served notice on Cineworld, and the site closed on the 18th September 2025. After refurbishment, it started to re-open in a phased manner from the 10th July 2026, with ten screens open initially and others to follow. Omniplex refurbished the interior with much reduced seating capacities due to the introduction of reclining seats, double seats and even beds. Some auditoria feature their large-format MAXX screens, and it is also planned to introduce their luxury VIP screens at a later date.
Screen numbering now follows a hotel-style format where the first of the two digits is the level and the second the screen number on that level.
