Woolton Picture House remains closed six months after sharing its plans to reopen.
The cinema, found on Mason Street in Woolton, first opened in 1927 but has been closed for over two years, beginning with the covid pandemic. In July 2020, the cinema's owners said they had to close permanently due to business lost during lockdown.
However, the historic venue was saved by a GoFundMe campaign, which raised £24,000, as well as government money issued by the culture recovery fund, designed to assist venues through lockdown. The cinema was awarded £37,809 by the fund, which was administered by the British Film Institute (BFI). The picture house said it collected £25,625 of the awarded funds in order to support reopening.
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However, the reopening has become a saga, as targets have been missed consistently. Supported by nearly £50,000 in funding, the cinema posted on Facebook in December 2021 to announce its plan to reopen in 2022, but this did not materialise.
Months of silence were broken in September 2022 when it reiterated its intention to reopen. On October 4, 2022, the cinema's owner took to Facebook to share ambitions to open in spring 2023 - subject to the economic climate.
The post shared plans to develop the picture house into a two-screen venue and also promised to provide monthly updates about its progress. Half a year on, there have been no further updates on the Woolton Picture House's social media. The cinema has not responded to the ECHO's many requests for comment in what has become another protracted period of silence.
Woolton Councillor Kris Brown has been urging the cinema's owner to provide clarity about its future for some time. He has told the ECHO the issue of Woolton Picture House is among his constituents' biggest concerns.
About the latest period of silence from the cinema, Cllr Brown said: “People are still very keen for answers.
“Putting aside the money issue for a minute, there is a very real appetite for the cinema to reopen. People want to use it, they want to meet their friends and family and watch a movie together.
“Unlike the multiplexes, which have relied heavily on blockbuster releases, independent cinemas have the golden opportunity to do much more than that and cater to a much wider market.
“Someone approached me the other day and said they would’ve loved to watch the latest episode of Star Wars: The Mandalorian at the cinema and would’ve happily paid for the experience. So, for them, it’s all about the experience that the picture house could offer - not the need to see an expensive blockbuster.
“I again make the plea for the owner of the cinema to reach out to those willing to help.”
Last month, the BFI told the ECHO it was in contact with the cinema about its plan to reopen. Woolton Picture House has been contacted for comment.
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