A London cinema, which hosted the first public screening in the UK, is being restored after receiving a £1.5m Heritage Lottery Fund grant.

The Regent Street Cinema, within the University of Westminster's flagship Grade II listed building, will reopen to the public, filmmakers and students in 2014.

The Heritage Lottery Fund award will support the restoration of the cinema by helping to evoke its 19th century heritage. The cinema hosted the Lumiere brothers' moving picture show in 1896.

The award will also help to bring the cinema up to date with the latest technology, making it accessible and available to public audiences and the film industry.

Additional funding from Quintin Hogg Trust and the Garfield Weston Foundation have brought the Tim Ronalds Architects-designed project closer to reaching the £6.1m target to complete the project.

Sue Bowers, head of the Heritage Lottery Fund for London, said: "This cinema has an important place in the world history of film.

"Now, with this HLF grant, the University of Westminster can share this special story not only with film students and academics, but with the wider public too.

"We look forward to seeing the working cinema, lecture theatre and activities spaces open and accessible to all in the future so that everyone can get involved in this fascinating part of our heritage."