Melksham cinema's proved a reel success
9:00am Saturday 11th February 2012 in Latest News By Chris Melvin
Staff, from left, Mel Scott, Rachel Ahearne, Lorna Howard, Cameron Scott and Katherine Attreed ready with refreshments
More big screen action will be coming to Melksham this year, as the Assembly Hall takes sole possession of digital cinema equipment.
The Assembly Hall has been taking part in a rural cinema pilot project, conducted by White Horse Pictures, by screening box office hits every week, using equipment that has been touring the region.
Now, due to the popularity of the scheme in Melksham, the Assembly Hall will be keeping the projector and will be able to offer more screenings throughout the week.
Cameron Scott, the Assembly Hall manager, said: “This is exciting news for Melksham.
“We were the success story, if you like. We’ve embraced it 100 per cent, as have the council, and by doing that we’ve secured the equipment here for the final 18 months of the project and, hopefully, forever.
“The hope now is that we will have a lot more going on.”
Children’s films will now be shown on Saturday mornings and midweek matinees are also planned.
A Melksham Film Festival has been suggested for August and initial plans are developing. Another option being explored is screening events, such as live opera performances.
Mr Scott said: “We’ve talked to our customers and a lot don’t want to come out at 8pm at night, especially during winter, so we’re looking at Tuesday and Thursday afternoons for people who can’t make the 8pm screenings.
“We’re also hoping to have a film festival in August and we’re linking up with The Pound in Corsham and will be showing some films as part of their film festival in April.
“We’re all glad. We’ve worked hard and it’s going from strength to strength.” More than 1,000 people saw the The King’s Speech when it was screened at the Assembly Hall last winter.
Creative England’s senior film culture manager, Sarah-Jane Meredith, oversees the White Horse film project.
She said: “We are delighted to be working with the Town Council and Melksham Assembly Hall on developing White Horse Pictures further, to benefit audiences of community cinema in Melksham and the wider county.
“Working with Melksham, not only to deliver a cinema programme but also to extend provision, has been a very positive step.”
To find out more about future screenings at Melksham Assembly Hall, call 01225 709887 or send an email to marketing@melkshamtown.co.uk
