Frequently Asked Questions

General

When did you open?

The original Riverside Studios was open between 1976 and 2014. Following redevelopment, the new Riverside Studios opened on the same site in November 2019.

Do you have outdoor seating?

Yes. Our Bar & Kitchen and our Bakery have outside seating where you can eat and drink whilst enjoying views of the River Thames and Hammersmith Bridge.  

Do you offer membership?

Yes. To enquire about membership options, please contact our Community Ambassador Any Lucas via [javascript protected email address].

Do you programme events for children?

Both of our cinema screens show upcoming films aimed at all audiences, including some titles for younger viewers. In addition, we offer a full programme of community events for families, including drama, arts and crafts, and other workshops. Please see What’s On for more details.

Cinema

What sort of films do you show at the cinema?

From much-loved classics to modern blockbusters, our two screens offer a wide variety of films including several annual festivals.

How much are cinema tickets?

Full Price: £13

Concessions (over 60s, students, NHS workers, access patrons): £11

Under 25s/Dive In Members: £9

Silver Screen/Parent & Baby Screenings: £8

*Not applicable to all screenings – enquire at Box Office for more details

Are BCTV cards accepted?

Under certain conditions, we do accept the BCTV card as proof of eligibility for complimentary entry to selected screenings. Unless otherwise stated, the BCTV card entitles the cardholder and one guest to free admission to standard film screenings starting before 6:00pm, Monday to Thursday only. This offer excludes special events, third-party events, festivals, private hires, and any other non-standard screenings. Admission is strictly subject to availability and is limited to unsold, unallocated seating at the time of arrival. Seats cannot be pre-booked or reserved in advance under this offer, and no complimentary tickets with assigned seating will be issued. We reserve the right to refuse entry where capacity limits would otherwise displace paying customers, and to amend or withdraw this offer at our discretion.

Access

Please see our separate Accessibility page here for more information, and specific accessibility FAQs. 

Programming

Are your studios available to hire?

Yes – for both public performances and private functions. 

We aim to programme our spaces six months in advance, but will always try to accommodate hires and make things work. For further information on live performance programming, please contact [javascript protected email address].

For any enquiries related to private functions – including screenings, parties, and corporate events – please contact [javascript protected email address].

What marketing support do you offer?

We want all productions here to be as successful as possible and will support you as much as we can. This includes (but isn’t limited to) posting about shows on our social media accounts, inclusion in our newsletter and brochure, and placement on our digital screens in and around the building. Please note that we are unable to offer show-specific marketing and all marketing for shows is within the overall publicity for Riverside Studios.

What technical support do you offer?

Our technical team will advise and support you throughout your time at Riverside Studios, and our spaces are rigged with the latest equipment which can be used free of charge. For an additional cost, we may be able to provide further equipment and/or help you source the equipment and crew you require for your production. 

When can I load in or load out?

Our loading hours are between 8am and 10pm.

Can I sell tickets via your box office?

Yes. All tickets for productions at Riverside Studios must be sold via our website or front of house team. For this to be set up, we will require the total amount of tickets available per performance and a breakdown of prices. Please note, we take 4% commission on all tickets sold and charge a £1 booking fee per ticket, capped at £5 (this is retained solely by Riverside Studios).

Can I sell merchandise/programmes via your box office?

Yes. Our Front of House team can sell programmes and merchandise for you if required (subject to amount and size). Please note, we take 20% commission on any programmes sold, and 25% commission on any merchandise sold.

Can I hire a studio for the day?

We try to programme our spaces well in advance, with productions running for a few weeks at a time. For this reason, it can be difficult to find a day or two that might be available, but please get in touch with your requirements and we will see what we can do. In general, our prices would be pro-rated in this situation.

I’d like to hold an exhibition at Riverside Studios – what do I need to do?

Great! Please send over some information on your exhibition with examples of your work to our Events Team [javascript protected email address]. We usually programme exhibitions for a few months at a time and may have some exhibitions already programmed, but we are always on the lookout for new work and would love to hear from you.

Events & Hires

Can I bring in outside catering for private events?

Sorry, all food and beverage must either be provided by Riverside Studios or Sam’s Riverside. Please see our sample menus to get an idea of what we offer. These menus are not exhaustive, and we are always happy to tailor menus to your preferences. 

What technical support do you offer for events? 

Our technical team will advise and liaise with you throughout your time at Riverside Studios, and there will be a technician on duty throughout the period of your hire. Please note that if you require any additional technical crew for any aspect of your event, they will need to be brought in.   

Is staffing included in the hire cost?

Staffing costs depend on the size of the event. Basic staffing such as a waiter, a bartender and an usher are included in the hire cost. If the event is on a larger scale and requires us to bring in more staff on a day than we usually would, this may incur an additional cost. 

Is security included in the hire cost? 

Ushers are included in the venue hire fee, but there would be an additional cost to contract certified security from our chosen security firm Protech.

Security and Cloakroom

What permanent security measures do Riverside have in place?

For everyone’s safety and security, we conduct regular security checks, including bag searches. Please only bring one small bag that can be stored under your seat. To store larger items, please contact Stasher.com before you arrive.

We reserve the right to deny entry to patrons who attempt to bring the following items into the Studios: hot food, alcohol, large bags, sharp objects. Please note that this list is not exhaustive and we reserve the right to confiscate items or ask you to place them in our venue cloakroom (available at the box office for £1 per item). 

There is CCTV throughout the building. This is used to keep our customers, building and staff safe. Please see more details on our Privacy Policy.