As Tyneside Cinema starts showing films again for the first time in 16 months, it has wonderful news for its returning audiences.
The annual screening of 1946 classic It's A Wonderful Life - which has been a much-loved tradition there for years and a must-see for fans of the independent cinema - will be back this Christmas.
Last year, with festive outings pretty much cancelled everywhere and the Newcastle cinema in lockdown, the feelgood favourite was much missed.
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But now that the cinema has reopened its doors for the first time since March 2020 - with the film programme up and running and audiences flocking back - it is looking to play its part in bringing back much-needed festive cheer.
During a lookaround at the reopened cinema, ChronicleLive was told that there are plans to screen It's A Wonderful Life this Christmas as the new team in charge of the venue are out to recapture the good times, following the challenges of the pandemic, loss of income and then a flood earlier this year which caused widespread damage and delayed its planned opening date.
And the buzz is clearly back at the cinema which is reopening in stages.
First screens back in use include The Gallery and larger Roxy - with socially distanced seating - and nine films are currently on offer including Another Round, The Courier, Supernova and The World To Come.
The main Classic screen and the Coffee Rooms have yet to announce a reopening date but the ground floor Vicolo bar and Tyneside Bar Cafe are open again, with customers enjoying a coffee in the sunshine outside the former on Tuesday and the latter enjoying a busy early lunchtime.
Throughout the main building there is no sign of the spring water damage, with repairs and redecoration all now complete and the cinema - including its standout features such as the foyer's tiled flooring, ornate coving and upper stained glass windows - looking as good as ever.
Future plans also include the return of special events. For details of its current film programme see here.
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