Lynton Cinema has been listed by Time Out as among the ‘50 best independent cinemas’ in the UK and Ireland.

Praised for being ‘quirky and characterful’, the converted Methodist chapel seats 68, is fitted with Dolby sound, digital projection equipment, a loop for the hard of hearing, full central heating and air conditioning.

And it shows films that are as near to new as possible, sometimes being shown at the same time as in cinemas in large towns throughout the country.

Noting that Lynton lays claim to being the smallest town in England with a full-time cinema, Time Out’s judges asked: “Can a cinema be any more picturesque? No!”

They decided that the cinema was “a bit like a time capsule, taking you back to a time of Pathé newsreels, Ealing comedies and the once-romantic fug of cigarette smoke hanging over the stalls.”

But added: “Not that you’ll find any of those things these days.”

Lynton Cinema Ltd managing director and lessee Bill Pryor said: “A number of times, I have overheard visitors remark, with great surprise: ‘They have a cinema here’. Then someone will say: ‘They can’t have – we haven’t got one in Margate or Lichfield or wherever. Perhaps they only open one day a week and people sit on wooden chairs, the films must be very old’. Wrong on all counts.”

Lynton’s first cinema, the Picturedrome, opened in 1916 in the Foresters Hall, Queen Street, and ran silent movies until about 1930. As it unsuitable for sound films, the former Congregational Church, on Sinai Hill, was converted into the BB Cinema.

This was run by Major Blackhurst until his death in 1961 when it was converted into a house. The Western Cinema Company then operated, two days a week during the season, in the town hall.

When it pulled out, Bill ran the Town Hall Cinema for a few years, increasing the number of nights and running a much longer season.

Bill said: “I passed this onto Gordon Potter during the 1980s. When he retired, it was decided to put a full-time cinema back, firstly in the Market Hall and Community Centre, which would have been two screens.

“Although we got planning permission, the district council, which owned it, decided to put the new library and computer centre in this building and offered us the former Methodist Church Hall. This meant only one screen but a good central position in the town.

“With a loyal band of volunteers, including several local builders, we converted the former hall into what we consider to be a luxury cinema, with help from the North Devon District Council, Lynton and Lynmouth Town Council, Exmoor National Park Authority plus many others too numerous to mention – and the local people who sponsored seats.

“From the day we opened, we have been totally self-supporting, even giving money to North Devon Hospice and Lynton School for computers plus a large donation recently towards the new health centre.

“We successfully raised more than £40,000 in 2012 to go digital, as film as we all knew it was coming to an end.

“We have regular patrons from across the Moor, from Porlock, Minehead, Watchet and beyond. We have also had cases of people booking their holiday based on what film we were screening from the Isle of Wight and Scotland.

“And we have now been listed as one of the top 50 independent cinemas in the country!”

Screenings at Lynton - a stone’s throw from Minehead - are at 8pm nightly, plus Monday matinées at 2.30pm. There are also daily early shows throughout the school holidays. Details can be found on the Lynton Cinema website.