The £50m landmark Beeston Square development - which includes the Arc Cinema as its centrepiece - has been described as the town's 'answer to Nottingham’s Cornerhouse'.
Councillor Milan Radulovic, leader of Broxtowe Borough Council, made those comments when speaking about how he hopes Beeston Square can become a focal point much like The Cornerhouse, in Burton Street in the city centre.
The Cornerhouse, by comparison, is home to Cineworld, The Lost City Adventure Golf venue, a Genting Casino and bars and restaurants.
Two new venues have been announced for Beeston Square in recent days and hopes in the town are growing.
Italian restaurant Ottimo, owned by the team behind Nottingham venues Sans Patrie and Bar Sans Patrie, is due to open in the first week of April.
The Beeston Social, a bar, kitchen and arcade run by the company behind Nottingham’s Das Kino, The Blind Rabbit and The Hockley Arts Club, looks set to open its doors by early May.
The two new businesses form part of Broxtowe Borough Council’s £14m Arc Cinema complex – which will bring more than 100 jobs to the area.
People in Beeston town centre spoke about The Cornerhouse comparison, saying the thought of this made them want to try what's on offer.
Ishka Day, 31, a mum-of-three from Long Eaton, told Nottinghamshire Live: “If it’s going to be like The Cornerhouse I would definitely come to Beeston more often.
“I’ve been to the cinema with my children before and they like it."
She added the facilities in Beeston were conveniently located "straight off the bus”.
Libby Young, 24, who works at a nursery in Nottingham, said: “The Cornerhouse has things for people of all ages to do, and it’ll be good to have more businesses and things for people to do in Beeston, too.
“Plus, it’ll bring teenagers off the street.”
However, not everyone was as happy with the arrival of the new businesses in Beeston.
An 86-year-old man, who lives in Beeston, said: “I think we’ve got enough restaurants and cafes here quite honestly.
“Unless they’ve got something special to offer I certainly wouldn’t go there, because there’s already so many lovely eateries around.”
The project is part of the wider £50m Beeston Square development, which includes the building of 132 homes opposite the cinema site.
Speaking previously, Cllr Radulovic said: “The cinema and social complex will be a major destination, not an attraction.
“In Beeston, as you can see on market day, there are hundreds of people around but in the evening it drops off. We want to boost the night-time economy.
“We want to create a Cornerhouse there like in Nottingham. You will come to Beeston and not just go to the cinema but use the bars and restaurants and it will give a major lift to the town.”
Doughnotts were originally planning to open a store at the site in August before pulling out and opting to open in the former Thorntons shop instead, located on High Road.
The eight-screen Arc Cinema, which has an equivalent in Hucknall, was opened last year by the acclaimed film director Shane Meadows.
