Movies may return in Malmesbury (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Movies may return in Malmesbury

9:00pm Thursday 19th January 2012 in Malmesbury

Blockbusters could soon be shown again in Malmesbury after a consortium that supports rural cinema offered to buy a projector.

Town councillors in support of the ‘Movies at Malmesbury’ project met with White Horse Pictures (WHP) this week to try to find a suitable way forward to bring the popular cinema service back to the town.

The facilities were withdrawn in December when it was decided WHP’s mobile projector was too fragile to be taken around the county.

Despite initially saying it would not replace the service, WHP, a trust that has been given £400,000 in lottery funding for rural cinema schemes, is looking at options to purchase a projector, which it will loan back to the council.

Coun Charles Vernon said: “We suggested to them that if they gave us some money we would buy the equipment and we would run the cinema.

“We were surprised and delighted to be told they preferred to purchase the equipment and lease it to us for no cost, for as long as we continue to show films.”

The project proposed by WHP could still include help from cinema sound experts Dolby Europe, a Royal Wootton Bassett firm, which stepped up to help the town find a cheaper second-hand projector when it heard of the town’s plight last year.

Dolby also offered to help cover installation and ongoing support costs. WHP has instructed a consultant to review the town council’s proposal, which includes help from Dolby, before it makes a final decision.

The town council’s extraordinary policy and resources meeting was expected to discuss the project tonight.