Community cinema hails new pavilion site as ticket sales soar

ASHBOURNE Community Cinema’s organisers say the group’s move to the town’s new pavilion has led to booming ticket sales, with this month’s screening already sold out.

The scheme aims to bring box-office hit movies to the town each month, and a calendar of dates up to the summer has now been announced, to ensure people have plenty of time to snap up tickets.

Steven Spielberg’s acclaimed remake of “West Side Story” will be screened on Thursday, May 26, at 7.30pm, and this will be followed by Spanish director Pedro Almodovar’s latest film “Parallel Mothers”, starring Penelope Cruz.

That will be on Thursday, June 23, at the later time of 8pm, prior to the cinema group taking a summer break.

Committee member Tim Challans said: “Following our move to the pavilion on the Ashbourne recreation ground, the experience of visiting the Ashbourne Community Cinema has changed completely.

“The first screening at the pavilion, the Saudi Arabian film ‘Wajada’, sold out quickly and the audience enjoyed the benefits of individual seating, a wellstocked bar, and sweets and snacks served by Ashbourne Scouts.

“The next screening, on April 28, Kenneth Branagh’s ‘Belfast’, sold out quickly once it was announced.

“The new venue is proving to be a great success for our voluntary-run group, enabling it to become more flexible and to start buying our own equipment.

“Ashbourne Community Cinema’s first season has gone from strength to strength and we are grateful for the support of St John’s Church in getting us started, the pavilion for helping us move to the next stage, and to our loyal audience who are joining in the community spirit of the screenings and influencing the choice of future films.

“We will soon be announcing the programme for the autumn, so look out for it.”

Tickets for the films are priced at £6 and are available from www.ticketsource.co.uk/ashbourne-community-cinema or on the door.