Tivoli: the Perfect Place for a Date?

In December 2018, a new upscale cinema opened in the centre of Bath, near Bath Spa station. Tivoli describes their service as “a truly unmatched cinematic experience” and, as well as the screens, the venue also offers a cafe and bar – the ideal setting for a date. As a lover of film and Instagram-worthy locations, I felt obliged to test out what the Tivoli was all about.

One Sunday evening in March, my sister came to visit and it felt like the perfect occasion to try out Tivoli. On our evening out, we planned on catching the 8pm screening, but arrived earlier to make sure we could enjoy the full variety of goodies on offer. Tickets are £12.50 for students (£15 for non-students), which is a little more than at the Odeon, but the experience makes it worth it. Walking into the venue, the beautiful interior reminded me of a mix between the Electric Cinema in London and The Hoxton hotels; it felt very high-end and stylish. After buying tickets from the friendly guy behind the bar, we took a seat in the cafe area and ordered some drinks and snacks.

Tivoli offers film-inspired cocktails amongst a variety of other drinks, though my ‘Popcorn Espresso Martini’ did taste a lot like a regular Espresso Martini… Foodwise, Tivoli offers everything from small plates and sides to burgers, stone-baked pizza and hot dogs. Since I wasn’t very hungry I went for the side of garlic bread, but was pleasantly surprised when the waiter showed up with, not your standard three baguette slices, but a tremendous flatbread (maybe not the best idea when you’re on an actual date though.) My cocktail and garlic bread were only half finished when the film was about to start, but luckily you’re allowed to take them inside with you. All seats are equipped with little side tables and tiny, dim lights that stay on, ensuring I didn’t knock my cocktail over mid-film. At Tivoli, you aren’t seated in traditional cinema seats, but in comfy, velvet sofas, which are ideal for moving a bit closer to your date throughout the film.

My whole experience at Tivoli was extremely pleasant and when walking out of the venue and back onto the streets of Bath, I felt like I had spent an evening in a fancy, alternate universe (probably also partly caused by the film I watched). Tivoli isn’t like any other place in Bath and is, in my opinion, the perfect place to take a date who you want to impress… who would say no to all this? I know that I, for one, can’t wait for another evening out at Tivoli!