A picture house considered to be the oldest permanently-used cinema in the country was closed for business today.

The projector at the Duke of York's Picture House in Brighton broke down this morning and technicians were on site by midday to work on the equipment.

However no films were shown all day.

By 8pm a spokesman could only say that the picture house had "no idea" when it would be fixed, but were hoping to be open for business tomorrow.

The art house cinema on Preston Road, Brighton, lays claim to being the oldest cinema in continuous use in Britain and in 2012 it was voted best cinema in the UK.