Lochaber Times steps in to fund Fort cinema group screenings

LAST week, the Lochaber Times highlighted the bleak financial position facing the Lochaber Cinema Group, which was on the verge of being forced to halt its free screenings of movies for children in local venues and halls.

With just £11 remaining in its bank account, group chairwoman Marie MacPherson had confirmed to us the screenings would have to stop as an online public appeal for funding, launched after donations dried up, had failed to generate the £250 needed.

The group recently unveiled its proposals to build a two-screen, 133-capacity cinema facility in the centre of Fort William at a public consultation session.

The detailed plans, which have been granted planning permission by Highland Council, outline how two units at Airds Cross (formerly Wynnes Butcher and Oceans takeaway) will be converted into a cinema with an estimated total cost in the region of £600,000. But the immediate problem was the community screenings initiative, which required just £250 to survive.

Such is the popularity of the screenings with youngsters and their families the Lochaber Times decided to fund the £250 needed for these to continue until summer 2018.

Handing over a cheque this week to Ms MacPherson and cinema group secretary, Irene Salter, the Lochaber Times’ senior reporter Mark Entwistle told the two women the newspaper was delighted to be able to help out.

‘Hopefully this amount will help keep the screenings going in the meantime and perhaps encourage other local businesses and individuals to donate to what is a very worthwhile local cause,’ said Mr Entwistle.

‘There’s always something magical about a trip to see a film on a big screen, especially for children, and it would have been a great shame if the Lochaber Cinema Group had been forced to stop these screenings.’

Ms MacPherson told us: ‘It’s fantastic and very generous of the Lochaber Times to help cover the costs of the community screenings.

‘The money means we can keep our screenings of films for youngsters going well into next year.’

1JP F43 Lochaber Cinema Group Lochaber Times senior reporter Mark Entwistle hands over a cheque for the Lochaber Cinema Group to Marie MacPherson, right and Irene Salter.