Silver screen returns

2:16pm Wednesday 3rd December 2008

THE silver screen has returned to Kirkby Stephen after a break of more than four decades.

A new community cinema was officially opened by the town’s last projectionist Hebron Lumley - 46 years since he ran the last picture show in the town, The Music Man.

A full house of 150 cinemagoers and volunteer staff were entertained by the latest Dolby digital sound and high picture quality on a giant, professional cinema screen. And the musical theme continued with the showing of Disney’s new hit film High School Musical 3.

Mr Lumley’s family ran the cinema, now the town centre Co-op store, for 35 years. It closed on December 31, 1962 after the increased popularity of television had a detrimental impact on the cinema industry.

He said: “If we had had as many people at the last week’s showing at our cinema 46 years ago as we have tonight, we would have been delighted.”

The organisation behind the enterprise, Community Cinemas Ltd, claims to be the only mobile cinema business in the North West of England to bring the latest blockbuster movies direct to local communities before they are released on DVD.