A cinema that closed in the heart of Freeman Street in November, 2004 is nearly ready to raise the curtains for a new beginning.
New owners at the former Odeon site hope to call lights, camera, action on Friday, and are already advertising their first four films in the Grimsby Telegraph.
The three-screen, 700-seat theatre, which has been unused for nearly five years, will re-open under its original name, The Regal, with a touch of cinemagic from the latest Harry Potter film injecting some fresh hope for the future of what was once Grimsby’s busiest shopping street.
North East Lincolnshire Council has granted Shropshire-based businessman Trevor Harris, 70, and his son Anthony, 42, a licence to thrill movie-goers.
It follows much speculation about the site, which first opened as a cinema in 1937.
Mr Harris said: “We’ve been working behind the scenes for weeks. The building has been extensively refurbished and renovated.
“Both my son and I have been involved in the cinema industry for a long time.
“The ticket prices have been set low at £4 for under 12s and £5 for over 12s, on purpose and we are also going to be selling our sweets at very reasonable prices.“
Unlike many empty cinemas, it was fully equipped, and the work we had to do was simply finishing touches.
And Mr Harris hopes that the new cinema will make a difference to the area, which has suffered in the last two decades, since the loss of High Street chains such as Marks and Spencer and Woolworths.“I certainly think that it will help the area,” he said.
“A cinema is a good focal point and can certainly help to bring people into the area.”
And he is hoping that investment to improve security at the council-run Garibaldi Street car park behind the cinema will help to make it a successful venture.
NELC has installed two CCTV cameras in the public car park, which also benefits from a security attendant.
Mr Harris said: “I’m looking into the parking situation. I understand that this was a problem and I am in touch with the council.“
I want to make sure that our customers can be confident that their vehicle will be safe while they are in the cinema.”
Duncan Willey, a partner at PPH Commercial the agents who are dealing with the site, said: “We are very close to closing a deal on the lease. The cinema will then be able to open as soon as that is complete.”
The 700-seat capacity cinema was formerly called The Regal.
It first opened in 1937 with 1,966-seats, and was renamed the ABC in 1961.
The former stalls were then converted into a supermarket, with the cinema occupying the original balcony area.
By 1980, there were three screens, with 300 seats in Screen One, 225 in Screen Two and 125 in Screen Three, and it went through a number of operators following that, including Cannon, Classic, and MGM, and was then known again as ABC, before becoming an Odeon in 2001, following a £100,000 re-branding scheme.
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