Cinema expansion to create up to 10 jobs
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THURSO Cinema is set to create up to 10 jobs with plans unveiled to open a new family restaurant and bar at the leisure haunt.
Owner Rob Arthur has agreed to lease the former Liquid Bar at Ormlie Road, alongside his cinema venue and is going through the licence approval process.
The news comes after the venue welcomed its 40,000th customer on Friday after only seven months of trading, making it one of the big success stories of the Caithness economy in recent years.
And next month, the two-screen cinema is also set to be installed with digital projectors after the signing of a deal with Sony Digital Cinema.
Mr Arthur said the cinema will be able to offer new services beyond traditional content such as comedy, sports, music, theatre, opera, multi-user big screen gaming and cultural events.
"Bringing digital cinema to Caithness is a big deal as we can now offer a range of entertainment content that appeals to a broader audience and ensures the cinema is in use all day every day throughout the year.
"We are very excited about the installation of the Sony 4K digitals projector system as our customers will be getting the very best cinema experience and can now enjoy the content with crystal-clear picture quality and sound."
On average, the Thurso Cinema is attracting over 1400 customers a week and is on target to serve over 70,000 movie fans by its first anniversary on July 27, with a 100 per cent profit return on its investment by year one.
As well as planning permission being sought for a new restaurant and bar, the cinema is also exploring plans to convert the former bowling alley into four cinema screens to increase its number of theatres to six.
Mr Arthur said he has been blown away by the response the cinema has received in such a short period and looked forward to further developing the venue in the future.
Mr Arthur said that he hoped to create up to 10 new jobs as the cinema grows from strength to strength.
"This idea has been driven from customers travelling from as far afield as Helmsdale, Wick and north Sutherland and there isn’t anywhere in Thurso they can bring the family to eat before seeing a movie," he said.
"We hope to create at least six jobs with a maximum of 10.
"It isn’t likely that a chain such as Frankie and Benny’s, Chiquitos or Pizza Hut is likely to come up here so we have to go out and do it on our own."
He said: "It’s great to see a mix of films throughout the seasons doing well, as we were concerned that the winter may be quiet, but it has been steady."
Brave
received the biggest audience since it opened last year with 5362 customers, with the James Bond film Skyfall second and The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, third, with family animation movies accounting for four of the top 10 most-watched films.
Highlands and Islands Enterprise area manager Roy Kirk is delighted with the news of further investment in the venue and looks forward to working with the cinema to continue its progress.
"HIE actively supports the development of innovative opportunities in arts and culture across the region in order to strengthen our communities. Since it’s re-opening in July last year, the Thurso Cinema has proved an incredible success.
"The local community has come out in force to support the cinema and make the most of having a new quality attraction in their midst. The new equipment will enhance this experience and provide opportunities for a range of new events to be held."
Cinema for Thurso spokesperson Darren Manson said the return of cinema to the county was always going to be a successful venture and the healthy turnover for
the venue has proved this to be the
case.
"The public has welcomed cinema back and proven that the demand in this area is very strong," he said.
"This level of viability has kept Thurso in the eye of major multiplex operators for some time."
