Now couples can have a luxurious cinematic experience at London’s Electric Cinema, as the oldest working movie theatre in the UK has had a ‘romantic’ makeover with six leather-upholstered double beds put up in place of 14 seats in the front row.

The cinema beds are thought to be a first in Britain although they have been tried abroad. In the Electric, bed tickets, which will only be sold in pairs, will cost £18 a head compared with £20 for regular seats. They are discounted because cinema goers traditionally never want to go to the front row.

Couples can now have an ultimate movie viewing experience with a glass of wine, while they cosy up under cashmere throws. Nick Jones, founder and chief executive of the Soho House group of members’ clubs, said that the installation was a part of a £5 million makeover of the 102-year-old landmark and adjacent club, was aimed at maintaining the Electric’s reputation as the most luxurious and comfortable place to watch a film in London.

The Electric Cinema, located in Notting Hill, closed down in June after a fire mishap and is reopening today with the screwball romantic comedy ‘Silver Linings Play Book’.

The adjacent Electric House club has also been redesigned with a new Chicago-influenced diner and a library inspired by the Speakeasy bars of Prohibition-era America. The foyer of the cinema will have a new American-style donut bar with flavours such as Maple Bourbon, Bergamot Orange, Ginger Chew, Mexican Chocolate and Berry Trifle.

Referring to the shift in couple seats to the front row in the form of couple beds, Nick Jones joked, “There used to be smooching in the back row, now there will be smooching in the front row under a blanket.”