Secret Cinema has applied for a premises licence for its first long-term venue, to be built on the Greenwich Peninsula in south-east London, marking a shift from the immersive cinema company's previous run of temporary productions across the capital. Greenwich Council is due to decide on the licence application on 11 August, having already granted planning permission for the 1,500-seat venue last month, with the site earmarked for use for a temporary 10-year period before being redeveloped for housing.

The licence would permit the venue to open and sell alcohol until 23:30 BST on weekdays and midnight at weekends, and it has drawn two objections from local residents concerned about noise and disturbance. Secret Cinema, which has staged immersive film experiences since 2007 including recent productions such as Grease at Battersea Park, Guardians of the Galaxy in Wembley and Stranger Things in Canning Town, says the new flexible space could host a rotating series of productions based on major film titles. The venue will sit alongside the also-under-construction Troubadour Theatre, which was granted permission for a 3,000-seat venue that will become London's largest theatre by capacity.