Movie magic returns as Aberfeldy cinema reopens

THE MAGIC of the movies is set to return to the heart of Highland Perthshire tomorrow for the first time in three decades with the first official screening at the newly reopened Birks Cinema in Aberfeldy.

The Oscar-winning film “The Artist” has been chosen for the special screening for members of the board and their partners of the social enterprise company now responsible for the running of the landmark venue.

Members of the Friends of the Birks Cinema, the campaign group formed in 2005 to raise the £1.8 million needed to resurrect the the defunct cinema, will also be taking part in a series of other advance screenings over the next week, culminating in screenings next weekend to which local schoolchildren are being invited.

Members of the general public are also being given the chance to enter a contest for 200 “golden tickets” for a special VIP event on 19 April - the day before the new state of the art cinema opens its doors to the public.

The original Art Deco cinema, completed just before the outbreak of the Second World War, closed in the early 1980s and was later turned into an amusement arcade. It has been standing empty in the town’s main square since 2004, leaving local residents facing a 60-mile round trip to the nearest cinema.

The new Birks Cinema is a state-of-the-art, 100-seat digital 3D cinema and also features a 64-seat café bar area.

Paul Foley, the general manager of the Birks Cinema, said there was a real sense of anticipation in the local community as the cinema prepared to open its doors for the first time in 30 years

He said: “The first screening will be for the board of directors and there will also be screenings during the week for the Friends of the Birks Cinema which has a 450 strong membership. A week on Saturday we have S4 to S6 pupils from the area coming in for screenings at the end of their holidays.

“We then have two special showings on 19 April for the VIP golden ticket winners. But from 12pm onwards on Saturday, 20 April, the cinema will be open to paying customers. And everybody is champing at the bit.

“We have had a constant procession of people peeking in our windows and we are expecting a tremendous response when the doors finally open to the public.”

He added: “The board have chosen a screening of ‘The Artist’ for Saturday’s showing but I have been sworn to secrecy about the movie which will be screened when the cinema opens to the public.”

Charlotte Flower, chair of The Birks Cinema trading company which runs the cinema said: “Our approach of involving local groups and individuals to come in for a free film is partly intended to test run’ the operations of the cinema and cafe bar, but it is also a statement of our intent. This is a community cinema – it is everybody’s cinema – all those who helped make this a reality are the real stars of the show.

“We want to make sure as many people as possible get the chance to feel that they own just a little bit of it.”