Cash boost for Barnoldswick cinema plan (From Burnley and Pendle Citizen)
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Cash boost for Barnoldswick cinema plan
1:31pm Monday 2nd June 2008 in News
BARNOLDSWICK'S community cinema has received a huge cash boost - but it may mean rethinking the original plans.
Pendle Council's West Craven Committee has pledged £30,000 towards the provision of a community cinema at the Rainhall Centre.
The money is in addition to £10,000 that has already been set aside for the cinema fund by Barnoldswick Town Council.
However, the West Craven Committee decided that the money should be used for a mobile cinema for the whole of West Craven and would be dependent on any equipment being transportable.
This would mean it could be used at different venues across West Craven.
Jeff Haydock, a director of West Craven Together, which is behind the cinema scheme, said the £30,000 would be a massive boost to the initiative.
"The cinema was the crown in this development and what the people of Barnoldswick said they needed the most," he said.
The facilities for the cinema are in place in the Rainhall Centre, down to retractable seats that stretch across the full length of the room.
West Craven Together is now working to make sure the right technology and equipment is bought.
Plans for the cinema were first revealed in 2006 when work started on transforming the derelict Rainhall Road Primary School, which closed in 2001, into a community centre.
The cinema will be housed in the former school hall.
The Rainhall Centre opened in July last year and at the time it was initially hoped the cinema would be open by the autumn.
Ideas for the venue included fancy dress theme nights, cabaret style seating, a drinks licence and the screening of hard-to-find films.
A working group of volunteers interested in running the cinema has been formed, which includes people with experience of working in the industry.
West Craven Together acknowledged during its early days that the community cinema would have to go the extra mile to compete with bigger cinema complexes in neighbouring towns, but was confident that it would be a success.
