Historic Basel Cinema Reopens as Indoor Minigolf Bar

A new indoor minigolf venue combined with a bar operation has opened in the former Kino Central in downtown Basel. The site, launched by British entrepreneur Gareth Rigby under the brand Rollers Minigolf Bar, marks the company's expansion following existing locations in Geneva, Lausanne, and Bern.

The facility covers twelve playing courses, each designed around specific cinematic themes such as Back to the Future, Eyes Wide Shut, and Alfred Hitchcock's Vertigo. Rigby, who previously worked in the London film industry, selected the movie motif for the tracks. Structural elements from the historic venue, including original decorative lighting fixtures, were preserved inside the space in compliance with local historic preservation guidelines.

The project faced operational delays prior to opening due to technical adjustments to the ventilation system and compliance with heritage protection mandates. Kino Central was established in 1908 on Falknerstrasse before moving to its location in the Rümelin Passage in 1956, where it functioned as Basel's first underground cinema. Following several operational shifts, including a period as a Bollywood cinema in 2019, the venue ceased film screenings in 2020.

The launch in Basel aligns with a wider commercial shift toward combined indoor sports, dining, and nightlife options in Swiss urban centers. Rigby had previously adapted a former adult cinema in Bern for a similar minigolf venue before securing the permit for the Basel property.

Written by Martina Kirchner martina.kirchner@alpineweekly.com