Urban planners have long been convinced that the physical dynamics and appearance of a place play a vital role in the formation of public culture. Urban leaders and visionary minds have seen the streets, parks, squares and other spaces of the urban environment as symbols of collective wealth, possibility, expressions of achievement and inspiration. “When public spaces succeed, opportunities to participate in community activities will increase. This outdoor communion fuels the growth of public life, which is hindered by the social isolation of ghettos and suburbs. In parks, squares, markets, seafronts and natural areas of our cities, people from different cultural groups can meet in a supportive and mutually enjoyable context. As these experiences are repeated, public spaces become vessels carrying positive community meanings” (Carr, Francis, Rivlin, & Stone, 1993, p. 344). Cinema has the ability to inspire us, it allows us to inhabit new identities and enjoy the world and different types of cultures in different perspectives. The universal capacity of films excites and inspires all different audiences, it also makes them think, laugh, cry and show compassion and proves to be a very successful art form. This very popular and significant medium is becoming more and more accessible through the realm of cinema and is becoming a necessity for more and more countries and cities. This however comes at a cost: over the last two decades there have been dramatic changes in the cinema landscape, which has seen the rise of multiplex cinemas and a dramatic decline in urban centers and traditional cinemas. In this essay I will analyze the changes that the electric cinema in Portobello Road London has gone through...... middle of paper ......ms in. Since the redevelopment of the Electric Cinema in Portobello Road, the cinema has gone from strength to strength and still remains a vital part of the community. Finally, I believe that since the arrival of multiplexes, the cinema experience has changed radically for small independent cinemas due to the interest it has aroused in them, because For this reason independent cinemas have had to radically change their image to attract again customers at their doors. This shift in cinematic experiences is primarily due to the radical shift in convergence and consumer culture. I believe that in the many years to come this culture will change again and the multiplex cinema will start to become obsolete due to technology and people will start looking for a more special and individual experience when trying to go to the cinema.