Cinemas and Leisure

AEC has extensive experience in the acoustic design of entertainment, leisure, and retail buildings, often as part of large multi-use developments. These projects frequently incorporate cinemas, bowling alleys, casinos, bars, restaurants, shops, and residential spaces. Our clients include developers, future tenants such as Odeon, architects, and contractors.

These developments present complex acoustic challenges, requiring careful planning to meet tenant specifications while also complying with local authority regulations. Engaging an acoustic consultant early in the design process is crucial—especially when noisy venues like cinemas or bowling alleys are located adjacent to hotels or residential spaces. In such cases, specialist acoustic separation measures are essential to maintain appropriate noise levels.

Additionally, entertainment venues such as nightclubs, bars, and cinemas must be designed to control noise breakout, preventing disruption to surrounding areas. With our expertise, we ensure that these spaces deliver the best possible acoustic experience while meeting all regulatory and client requirements.

A small example of relevant projects leisure and acoustic which AEC has worked on include:

• Oldham Town Hall – Large refurbishment of listed building into multi-screen cinema
• Marine Point New Brighton – Leisure development incorporating multi-screen cinema, Casino, Supermarket, Bars, Restaurants and Hotel
• Merrywalks, Stroud – Design of new build multi-leisure development with multi-screen cinema, bowling alley and retail
• Ashton Moss Leisure Development, Ashton-under-Lyne; Altrincham, Stroud
• Stirling – Cinema and leisure units close to roads and railways
• Northern Light, Leeds – Conversion of a warehouse to a music venue
• Black Dog, Manchester – Bowling, Bar and Nightclub Developments
• Oriel Mostyn Gallery, Llandudno – Design of extension to an existing art gallery
• Open Eye Gallery, Liverpool – Design of new build photographic gallery