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Cinema City has always prided itself on being independent
and offering a completely different cinematic experience to the
multiplexes, with a focus on world cinema and education.
Changes to the cinema, which celebrates its 25th
anniversary this year, have been in the pipeline for some time and
it was widely believed that expansion would mean a change of venue.
But director David Litchfield said Cinema City
has been working closely with Norwich City Council and English Heritage
to ensure it can remain in the 16th Century listed building.
He said, "It's a very small site, it's a building
of great historic interest and we have to be very thoughtful about
the plans"
 Director of Cinema City, David Litchfield |
"We've now come up with a plan that will maintain
the medieval charm of this building but also allow us to build a
modern three-screen cinema," he added.
With its fundraising efforts and grants from local
authorities, the Arts Council of England and other organisations,
the cinema is only 拢50,000 short of the 拢3.25 million
needed to complete the project.
The expansion will include two new screens, improved
training and education facilities and a new bar. It will become
the first digital cinema facility outside London.
City centre manager of Norwich City, Carolyn Dunn
said it is essential the city retains its arthouse cinema.
"I consider it vitally important that Cinema
City is given every opportunity to exist alongside the wealth of
multiplex cinemas," she said.
Artist impression of the new courtyard at Cinema
City. |
"Art house cinemas offer audiences the chance
to enjoy a variety of new and classic movies as well as foreign
films from esteemed, though not always commercially viable, production
companies from all over the globe."
Cynics may argue that opening another two screens
would see the cinema selling out, but the chair of the board of
management at Cinema City, Keith Bartlet, admits it is a case of
adapting to survive and insists they will stay true to their principles.
"The singular screen cinemas aren't viable
over a long term partly because of competition from multiplexes,"
he said.
"The cinema's been here for 25 years and built
up a track record in the range of art cinema that it
shows and also its education program. Those
are the keys to what we want to do for the future," he added.
Laurie Haywood, the chief executive of Norwich-based
Screen East, said they are supporting the venture as it adds so
much to the culture of the region.
He said, "It's actually fundamental, I think,
because this is where you can come and see a different film each
week and this is where the quality of film really matters, not just
the box office."
Once planning permission is confirmed, the cinema
will close at the end of December to undergo extensive redevelopment.
The building work will take up to a year to complete
but in the meantime, films will be shown at the Playhouse.
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