Town's cinema drought over (From Oxford Mail)

Town's cinema drought over

4:30pm Thursday 17th May 2007 in News By Ellie Simmonds

The curtain looks poised to go up on a £2.5m six-screen cinema in the heart of Bicester.

The 1,000-seat complex will be part of the new £70m town centre redevelopment, and is due to be built on the current Franklin's Yard car park.

Run by national chain Apollo Cinemas, the multiplex will also offer conference facilities seating up to 320 people.

Representatives from Deddington-based developer Stockdale Land, Cherwell District Council and Apollo signed the legal agreement on Tuesday.

Apollo's operations director Gerry Tait, who lives just outside Bicester in Blackthorn, said: "We believe Bicester has a great future and we know just how long the people of this area have waited for a cinema - many, many years.

"We are now in a position to put that right and look forward to welcoming thousands of cinema-goers in the not too distant future."

Mr Tait said the cinema would have all the latest releases, as well as some independent films and special screenings for children and pensioners.

And he hoped the cinema would attract people from as far away as Oxford and Milton Keynes.

Andrew Fulljames, Cherwell's property and regeneration portfolio holder, said: "These are exciting times for Bicester. This has been top of the priority list by people of all ages for the past two decades and now their dream is coming true."

Stockdale's managing director John Liggins said: "We are delighted that Apollo, which has such strong local connections, has taken the opportunity of opening this much-needed facility in Bicester.

"It is another positive indication that investors and leisure operators are looking to the town as an important growth area.

"This is all part of making Bicester an attraction."

The cinema's entrance will lead out into a new square at the bottom of Wesley Lane.

The screens will be on the first floor above a number of new restaurants and bars.