DCM Close Up with Keith Garrow of Dorking Halls

This week, DCM Close Up talks to Keith Garrow, Manager of Dorking Halls. Keith tells us about the diverse offerings the venue brings to the Mole Valley community, from live shows in the Grand Hall to 3D screenings of the latest blockbusters. 

How did you end up working in cinema and what do you love about it?

I briefly worked as a manager for AMC in the ‘80s, then left to run various concert halls and theatres for 10 years. When I took over at Dorking Halls they had a full time cinema as part of the complex so I was back in the businesses almost by accident.

I love going to the cinema as a customer, but I also love it as an element of our business because it is so different to everything else we do here. Compared to promoting a programme of live events, cinema offers some welcome stability. It brings in a huge range of different types of people and enables us to offer something of interest every day throughout the year.

What’s unique about your cinema? 

Unlike most ‘proper’ cinemas we promote a lot of live arts and entertainment shows and have hundreds of conferences, fairs, dances and other events each year. The other night for example we had 800 people in our main auditorium watching a comedian, a sold out live screening from the Royal Opera House in another room and a film showing in a third room. All our rooms have retractable seating, so we can do a conference with tables and chairs during the day, then turn it round to show films in the evening.

Dorking Halls was built in 1931 as a concert hall and a home for several local groups, most of whom still use the venue today. We have a very diverse range of activities taking place here, meaning we can appeal to all sorts of different people, which enables us to be pretty busy all year round.

Please tell us about any special events or screenings you run at your cinema.

In addition to the films and alternative content, part of my job is to book live shows. Recent examples of our live programme include Russell Brand, The Darkness, Al Murray, Jimmy Carr, Russian State Ballet, Milton Jones, London Philharmonic Orchestra and Rhod Gilbert.

What excites you most about the future of the cinema industry?

The most interesting things for me at the moment are the possibilities with alternative content. We are just at the start of something which I think has the potential to make all the difference to the long term viability of cinemas.

What is your favourite movie and why? 

Very hard to choose just one, but I’d probably say Pulp Fiction. I love Tarantino and that movie just epitomizes what he does best. The way he subverts the traditional narrative and plays around with time, the fantastic music, the crackling dialogue. I have the script at home – it just stood out as brilliantly different when it came out.

What film role would you like to play and why?

The dead chicken in ‘Withnail and I’, so that I could be in a great film in a role that accurately reflects my acting ability.

What do you think are the most iconic cinema ads and why?

I always loved the old Carling Black Label ones. The Dambusters one was a great example. I think ads that are clever and which make you laugh are always the best ones.