Town centre cinema plans with six restaurants go in to council
Company hopes to rival North Bay development – but says ‘town is only big enough for one’
A developer has submitted plans for a town centre cinema complex in the heart of Scarborough.
The Scarborough News exclusively revealed in November how development firm MRP has bought up the Argos store in Newborough and wants to demolish it to house a six-screen cinema complex.
The plans have now gone in to Scarborough Borough Council for the partial demolition of the Newborough and Queen Street building and permission to build the cinema and six restaurants.
Richard Anderson from MRP previously claimed Scarborough was not big enough to support two cinemas.
Since then work has started, and seemingly not progressed very far, on waterpark developer Benchmark’s multi-screen cinema on the former Atlantis site in North Bay.
Mr Anderson said: “There is nothing we can do about the other cinema.
“We are hearing mixed messages about what stage the other development is at, but it is our view at this stage that this is a viable option and we are moving forward with it.
“We would not have spent the money on the planning ap- plication if we were not serious.
“The marketing material is coming together and we will shortly be going out to restaurants to see if they are interested in being part of the development.” MRP has been in talks with operator Savoy, which runs cinemas in Nottingham and Worksop.
Cllr Steve Siddons, Labour Group Leader who pushed for a town centre cinema, said, “The council went against its own planning policy to push through the badly thought-out plantoputacinemaandflats on one of the prime south facing tourist sites in Scarborough in support of Benchmark Developments.
“The town centre has always been the right place to put a cinema. It would help regeneration by encouraging families to spend time and money in Scarborough and dilute its negative night-time drinking image.” Benchmark did not respond to a request for a comment. + JOIN THE CONVERSATION ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE You said on Facebook:
Ryan Taylor: “Where they are planning already to build one would be best.
“Town is overcrowded already with very little parking.” Luke Woods: “This will be great for the town centre and local businesses on the neglected end of town for sure.”
Mark Heslington: “A cinema in this location would do much more for the town than the one being built at North Bay. “Just look at how many rundown shops there are at the bottom end of town, a cinema and restaurants might just rejuvenate the whole area.” Sammie Jennings: “And where will people park? It’s a nightmare as it is to park in Newborough.
“Plus it’s not a very nice area especially in the late evening.” Kelsey Hodgson: “Blimey, you wait years for a cinema, then two come along, bit like buses!”