Film / Cinemas
New independent cinema could open in Broadmead
A team with experience of working at the Watershed and the Cube want to open the New Bristol Cinema, a three-screen independent cinema within an empty shop in Bristol city centre.
The team have been working behind the scenes on this project for almost a year but have now gone public with their plans following the news of the demise of Showcase Cinema De Lux in Cabot Circus.
They want to convert a vacant retail unit into a 216-seat cinema “that will be the best place in the city to watch classics, cult and popular cinema from around the world at affordable prices”.
is needed now More than ever
A one-screen pop-up could open in early 2024 for a trial of around two months, followed by a crowdfunder that will hopefully raise enough money to open the cinema somewhere in Broadmead by the end of the year.
The team say that New Bristol Cinema “will strive to make every screening feel like a special event” with film selections led by their audiences, hosting a range of films from The Lord of the Rings marathons, to sing-a-long Rocky Horror Picture Show or a Studio Ghibli film.
New Bristol Cinema director, Sam Cuthbert, said: “We think Bristol is crying out for a permanent cinema that specialises in having fun!
“We can’t wait to invite you to a late night screening hosted by one of Bristol’s amazing drag performers or have a sing-a-long screening for all the family.
“We want audiences from teenagers to pensioners; they’ll be something for everyone, from anime and horror to concert films and television series.
“We want to help regenerate the high street utilising old retail space and turning it into a brand new cinema.
“I’ve spent 16 years working in cinemas throughout Bristol, the South West and across the country and I can’t wait to get audiences coming through our doors.
“It’s the cinema I’ve been dreaming of since I was a kid.”
Main photo: Lorraine Theatre
Read next:
- City centre multiplex cinema to close
- From Archie to Cary: Hollywood star’s early life in Bristol
- 15 places in Bristol that once were cinemas
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