New £3million Hucknall cinema set to open - and you could be one of the first through the door

The unveiling has been delayed for more than three months because of coronavirus, but we received a guided tour of the venue this week ahead of the opening tomorrow (Saturday July 4, 12.30pm).

And the historic building, which previously housed the art deco Byron, has been brought spectacularly to life.

What’s more, we have joined forces with the owners to offer up five pairs of tickets to view the first screening. Simply follow the instructions at the end of this article, but be quick, there is a tight timeframe!

As part of the opening, strict guidelines have been put in place amid the easing of Covid lockdown restrictions.

There has been extensive training to ensure the health and safety of both audiences and staff. This includes queue management, more frequent cleaning, and safe handling of food and drink.

Visitors can expect to see strategically positioned hand sanitiser stations and screens in place at till points where they will be encouraged to use contactless methods of payment.

Seats will be allocated in the screens so that family groups can sit next to each other but at a safe social distance from other groups.

The luxurious reclining seats at the four-screen Arc will also be cleaned between each performance. Booking and movie details are now available at https://hucknall.arccinema.co.uk/

The Arc Cinema’s new manager, Hucknall resident Mark Gallagher, said: “I am so excited that we are finally going to open our doors this Saturday. The staff and I are already really proud of the quality and comfort on offer in the cinema and can’t wait for people to see it. The staff are fully trained to make sure that the Covid-19 measures are going to keep customers safe, but they are also really keen to make a visit to our cinema a really happy and fun experience for all.”

The cinema is a real treat to look forward to and will be a great addition to Hucknall’s town centre boosting its night-time economy. It has 325 luxury leather electric recliner seats with masses of legroom, laser digital projection and Dolby Digital 7.1 surround sound.

Access for all is key to The Arc Cinema’s offer with all screens being wheelchair accessible and subtitled screenings, kids’ clubs and parent and baby screenings part of the offer.

The cinema will show the latest blockbuster and independent films as well as broadcast screenings of opera, ballet and theatrical productions. There will be a full range of delicious snacks and drinks on offer and all the screens are licensed so you can enjoy a beer or glass of wine while watching the film.

To be in with a chance of winning a pair of tickets, answer this question: how much has been spent on The Arc?

Email your answer to [email protected]. The deadline is 2pm on Friday, July 3. Normal competition rules apply (available on our website) and the editor’s decision is final.