Brighton's best open-air cinema: where to watch the classics

Brighton has a habit of doing open-air cinema well, and there is still plenty left on the bill as the summer winds down. The most consistent run is over at Preston Manor, where Picturehouse has set up on the South Lawn and Garden with armchairs on the grass and the stately home as a backdrop. It is dog-friendly too, as long as they stay on a lead and under adult control.

The next few nights are the ones to catch: Muriel's Wedding on Thursday 14 August at 19:00, Evil Dead II on Friday 15 August at 18:30, and Jane Schoenburn's Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma on Saturday 16 August, also at 18:30. The season carries on into the following week with Dirty Dancing on 21 August, Stop Making Sense on 22 August, and Paddington 2 on 23 August, all starting at 18:30. Earlier in the summer the line-up took in Josie and the Pussycats, This Is Spinal Tap, Moulin Rouge and Best in Show, the latter complete with a dog parade before the film. Each ticket comes with a £7 credit towards food and drink on the night, handed over at entry and usable in one go or grouped with other vouchers, with no cash alternative. The bar does alcoholic drinks, softs and the usual cinema snacks, and it is cashless, so card or contactless only. You can bring your own blankets, cushions and small picnic chairs, with a limited number of deck chairs given out first come, first served, and a few blankets and rain ponchos for sale if the weather turns. Doors open at the advertised time and the film starts at dusk, or as soon as it gets dark, so there is no fixed start time to rush for. Heavy rain, high winds or thunderstorms can still bring the whole thing to ground, and if it is cancelled before the event you get a full refund. There is step-free access to the venue, though there are slopes and banks, and accessible toilets are on site.

If you prefer something a bit more niche, White Wall Cinema keeps things independent and is currently teaming up with It Is Still 1985, the legendary 80s night that runs every Saturday at Green Door Store. Their next screening is Heartbreakers, the 1984 buddy movie about two highly competitive male friends, showing at Wagner Hall on Regency Road on Friday 11 September. Doors open at 19:30 and the film starts at 20:20, with tickets available on arrival. It is a 98-minute 18 certificate, based on director Bobby Roth's own experiences, shot by Michael Ballhaus and scored by Tangerine Dream, and cited as a key influence on Challengers.

And if you do not mind a short trip out of the city, Leonardslee Lakes and Gardens is running three evenings on the house lawn, each with live music as the sun sets. The Italian Job opens the run on 11 September, with Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again on 12 September and The Greatest Showman on 19 September, tickets from £10 plus booking fee. For something more adventurous, Adventure Cinema sets up among the gardens at Wakehurst, about half an hour from Brighton, with its next run of musical singalongs, family classics and blockbusters due in early October.