Ultimate Picture Palace

Construction of the cinema began in 1910 on land in Jeune Street, behind the Elm Tree pub, under the direction of Frank Stuart, who had previously opened Oxford's first cinema.

The venue first opened to the public on 24 February 1911 as the Oxford Picture Palace. It was built by Frank Stuart, the licensee of the adjacent Elm Tree pub.

In 1917, the cinema was forced to close after its manager was conscripted for service in the First World War. The building subsequently stood unused for many years and was later converted into a furniture warehouse.

Bill Heine and Pablo Butcher reopened the cinema in 1976 under the name Penultimate Picture Palace. They installed a sculpture of Al Jolson's hands on the exterior, and the cinema became known for its eclectic film selection.

The building was officially designated as a Grade II listed building on 23 September 1994, recognized as a rare surviving example of a simple early cinema.

Following a period of closure in 1994 and a brief occupation as the Studio 6 Cinema, the building was purchased by brothers Saied and Zaid Marham, who invested £40,000 to restore the neoclassical façade.

After the renovation of its façade, the cinema reopened under its current name, the Ultimate Picture Palace, in June 1996.

Following the death of owner Becky Hallsmith in 2018, the local 'Own the UPP' campaign was launched in April 2022. By July 2022, sufficient community shares were sold to enable the cinema to operate as a community asset.