A much-loved community cinema has been relaunched and will offer monthly screenings for just a pound.
The 90-seat community centre is housed with the ABD Community Centre in Bacup, Rossendale.
It will show its affordable films on the big screen on the last Friday of the month, LancsLive reports.
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The launch of the community cinema has been funded by Bacup Cultural Consortium (BCC), as part of a three-year plan to kickstart a cultural programme for Bacup.
It has picked up the baton from a similar project running at the Royal Court Theatre before the pandemic.
After a taster event before Christmas, the official premiere of the project at the revamped Burnley Road venue saw a screening of Ron’s Gone Wrong on January 28 - with two more films to come in February.
Film fans can have a say on which films are shown on the 200-inch screen, while the community, family-friendly ethos is emphasised by a soft seating zone at the front for little ones to ‘crash’ on mats and free teas, coffees and juice.
Centre development manager and project lead Peter Dunn said the launch of the cinema caps “an exciting 12 months” for the venue as they near the completion of building refurbishment and look to expand their activities.
He said: “The word is getting out there now, so it’s really encouraging. Our Facebook page has increased in membership and it’s getting to between 3 and 4,000 people. The Whitaker do cultural films and the Horse & Bamboo as well, but there’s nowhere like this in the Rossendale Valley. It’s local and because of the pricing it’s aimed at families who will be struggling with gas prices and everything.”
The BCC, which includes Rossendale council, Valley Heritage, Dansworks Dance Academy of Performing Arts, Mid Pennine Arts, Bacup Royal Court Theatre Ltd, Bacup Now, the ABD Community Trust and Analogue Farm Company, received £90,000 from the National Lottery Heritage Fund and Historic England last year.
At the end of this month the cinema will be showing two films to provide for both older and younger children - first Ghostbusters Afterlife on the evening of Friday, February 25 and then Encanto on Sunday afternoon, February 27.
Peter said the focus is currently predominantly on family films, but they would like to offer a ‘silver screening’ afternoon for pensioners and are exploring something to commemorate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
“If we get enough volunteers who can staff it - we would to do love more,” he added.
