When the proverbial curtain closed at the New Picture House in St Andrews after almost a century of cinema, it was a bittersweet moment for managing director David Morris.
The 79-year-old former bank manager was overcome with mixed emotions. There was relief, and optimism, over the cinema’s future – but also some sadness.
That’s because the cinema’s final days as a three-screen offering also marked nearly a century of family stewardship under the Morris family, and other private shareholders.
“My grandfather had a vision for what cinema could bring to the town,” explained David in a sit down interview with The Courier.
“He was fascinated by the potential of film and entertainment.”
Tiger Woods and Justin Timberlake’s company T-Squared Social will now turn the B-listed North Street building into “a premium sports and entertainment gastropub” in time for the 2025 summer season.
And while David shares their optimism, he admits that in an ideal world, the cinema as the community knew it would still be thriving.
Who is David Morris and how did his family come to run the New Picture House?
The roots of the Morris family’s connection to the New Picture House run deep.
They begin with David’s grandfather, John Morris. He was a self-employed plumber and St Andrews town councillor who co-founded the cinema with a group of local businessmen.
The New Picture House opened its doors on December 22 in 1930 with the screening of the film No, No, Nanette.
It was an era when “talkies” were still a novelty, but the cinema was a state-of-the-art attraction in St Andrews.
John Morris passed away three years before David was born. David’s late father, Alec Morris, took over as NPH director and remained active in the business until he was 95 years old.
“My father was just as passionate as my grandfather about the cinema,” David remembers.
“He worked tirelessly to keep it going – as we all have.”
David – who was born and bred in St Andrews and a former Madras College pupil – became an NPH director in 1995. He took early retirement as a Clydesdale Bank manager in 1999.
David Morris has witnessed huge changes in cinema during his time at the helm.
They include expanding the number of screens in the NPH and moving from 35mm film to digital projection in 2007.
That made the NPH the first fully digitised independent three-screen cinema in the UK.
But despite all these efforts to stay relevant, the most significant challenge came with the rise of streaming services and the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Our business dropped off dramatically after the pandemic,” David admitted.
“And it wasn’t just about Covid – it was the poor releases, the dominance of streaming platforms. People just stopped coming.”
“It wasn’t sensible to continue when this offer was on the table,” he adds.
Why did David decide to back the sports bar plan?
That offer came from Nexus Lux, a subsidiary of the Tavistock Group. The group counts celebrities like Tiger Woods and Justin Timberlake among its investors.
Nexus first approached the New Picture House board about two and a half years ago with a proposal to transform the cinema into a sports bar and restaurant.
The initial plan was to preserve one screen for occasional cinema use.
The offer was enticing, especially in light of the cinema’s declining fortunes.
“At first, we weren’t sure,” David said.
“But when they came back again, we saw their plans and realised they had solid backing, it seemed like the right move.”
With NPH shareholders retaining ownership of the building on a long-term lease to Nexus, refurbishment is expected to start imminently and will last at least six months.
Two out of the three cinema screens, including in the main auditorium, will be retained along with the New Picture House name.
The venue will include a restaurant and public bar, with one cinema screen retained for full-time use and another to show live sports and to host films.
How has David dealt with local reaction to the deal?
The decision hasn’t been without controversy.
St Andrews residents and students who have long cherished the NPH voiced concerns. Many were driven by a sense of nostalgia for the town’s cultural heart.
“For some, it’s more about what the cinema represents than how often they actually come.”
David said he has found the whole deal-making process and public reaction “very frustrating”.
“Half of them think it’s a community hall or something that’s always going to be there,” he said.
“That’s really frustrating because if we’d been able to keep it going at the same levels it had been going, we’d still be going.
“There’s also been skepticism about Nexus’s involvement, with some locals wary of what they see as an ‘American-driven takeover’.
“I’ve heard complaints – ‘big rich Americans who don’t care about the town’”.
But David emphasises that Nexus’s plans align with preserving much of the building’s historic charm.
“They’ve agreed to keep the original paintings around the main screen. They’re not ripping it apart.”
How does David feel about the change now?
For David, his connection to the building is not just professional – it’s where he spent much of his childhood.
“Titanic was the last time I saw a queue that stretched all the way to the Catholic Church on The Scores,” he said.
“Back then, people didn’t mind waiting in the rain to see a film. It was part of the experience.”
But as a businessman, David knows that times have changed.
“It’s mixed emotions, definitely,” he said.
“On the one hand, it’s sad, but on the other hand, I feel relieved. If we hadn’t made this deal, we might have had to close the doors with no plan for the future.”
What happens next for NPH and its staff?
The New Picture House closed its doors on Thursday September 19, with Nexus likely to be “handed the keys” in early October.
For David as NPH managing director and also for directors Professor Wilson Sibbett, Donald Stewart and David’s daughter Susan Marsland, the closure marks the end of an era.
It also opens the door to a new chapter.
While current staff are being paid redundancy and all have been invited to apply for new jobs at the new complex – if they want them – David reserves special praise for projectionist Paul Carey who has worked there for 32 years.
He also delivers a special mention for former cashier turned cleaner Maureen Waters who has worked at the NPH for 54 years.
“I’m confident Nexus will make something special out of it. People might be surprised by how well it works.”
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