Electric cinema to plug in this autumn (From Gazette Series)

Electric cinema to plug in this autumn

A COMMUNITY cinema is on target to reopen in the autumn.

Builders started work on a major refurbishment programme at the Electric Cinema in Wotton-under-Edge this week and the work is expected to take two months to complete.

Over the past two and a half years more than £120,000 has been raised to reopen the Market Street facility since it closed in 2002.

Work will include a new screen, digital projection equipment and sound system, new cinema seats, improved toilet and box office facilities, an air-conditioning and fresh air system, disabled access for the public and staff and a new interior.

"We're delighted that the builders are now in," said Alex Alliston-Greiner, chairman of Wotton Electric Picture House Limited, the company which will run the cinema.

"The fact that we have reached this stage is a tribute to the support and generosity of many people in Wotton and the surrounding areas.

"I'm delighted to be able to say that we are now on schedule to reopen the cinema in the autumn."

The company still needs £20,000 to complete the project but Mr Alliston-Greiner said: "We're determined to ensure that the new cinema really will be a first-rate facility for the community. That means doing the refurbishment properly and buying the right equipment - all of which is expensive. The electrical work alone is expected to come to around £14,000.

"We are carrying out more refurbishment tasks than originally planned to avoid further costs and disruption in the future. In total, we will probably still need to raise another £20,000, so I'm appealing to people to continue supporting our fund-raising events over the next few months."

As well as financial support, the company is looking for a secretary and more volunteers to help run the facility.

Mr Alliston-Greiner added: ""We've got a great, hard-working team, but we do need more people to lend their experience and enthusiasm in the final stages of this project. In particular we have a vacancy for a company secretary to take responsibility for the conduct of the co-operative and attend our committee meetings. It's a voluntary post that would particularly suit someone with business experience.

"The campaign to bring cinema back to Wotton has been a long and complicated project, but the good news is that we are almost there."

Anyone interested in offering their time and skills to the project should call 01453 842849 or email alex_aag@hotmail.com.