Boys vandalise cinema during screening
A group of 17 unruly boys who Patrick Walsh says caused thousands of dollars in damage to his 95-year-old picture theatre, left a hole in a movie screen which will cost $9000 to replace.
The Geraldine Cinema owner said the group ‘‘tore shreds’’ in the cinema last Wednesday and he has been left in a position where he will have to appeal to the wider Geraldine community and the Timaru District Council to help with the replacement cost.
Walsh told The Timaru Herald yesterday ‘‘some bloody kids came into the pictures and decided to vandalise the place‘‘.
Walsh said the group were aged 12 and 13 and were yelling and screaming.
‘‘I went into the cinema numerous times and asked them to behave.
‘‘They just ignored me.’’ It wasn’t until the movie, Frozen 2, finished and the group had left, that Walsh noticed the damage.
‘‘They had ground food into the floor, spat on the seats, fired large amounts of food and drink at the screen which tore a hole in it, and soiled the toilets.
‘‘It took three hours to clean the mess up.’’
He reported the matter to police who then managed to find out who the boys were.
After reporting the matter on social media, Walsh said two sets of parents took two boys into the cinema to apologise to him.
‘‘That’s what’s happened so far.
‘‘I’m going to have to replace the screen which is going to cost $9000.
‘‘This is the kind of behaviour that shows the community doesn’t deserve to have the cinema anymore.’’
Walsh said he couldn’t afford to replace the screen by himself and has taped the hole in the screen as a temporary measure.
He bought the Geraldine Cinema in 2014 after packing up and leaving Rangiora following the earthquakes.
Timaru District Council spokesman Stephen Doran confirmed the cinema building is owned by the council and leased to Walsh.
‘‘That’s a real shame, it’s a great community facility.’’
‘‘There are a number of community funding sources available. We’d be happy to help guide Mr Walsh through his options if he gets in touch.’’