Taunton Brewhouse films

The Brewhouse Cinema in Taunton is a proper independent picture house that actually gives you a reason to venture into town beyond the usual shopping sprawl. It's housed in a converted Victorian brewery building - you can still see the bones of the place if you look up - and there's something rather satisfying about catching a film in a space that once produced something entirely different.

You get a real mix here: mainstream releases alongside art house films and live broadcasts of theatre productions from the National and beyond. The screens are intimate rather than massive, which suits the venue. The atmosphere is genuinely local - staff know regular faces, and it doesn't feel like a corporate multiplex experience.

Film enthusiasts and families after something a bit different will get more from this than those expecting a blockbuster palace with twenty screens. It's the sort of place you go for the experience as much as the film itself. Allow an hour or two depending on what's on and whether you fancy the cafe before or after.

It works well as an evening activity if you're based at one of the nearby caravan parks - Cornish Farm Touring Park is only 1.9 miles away, or Ashe Farm if you want something closer to 3.6 miles out. Check their current programme online first, as film schedules vary. Entry costs nothing to look around the foyer, but you'll obviously pay for tickets if something catches your eye. The building itself is worth a look even if you're not catching a showing.