Cinema launches appeal to help it after lockdown
AHISTORIC cinema has launched a fundraising drive to help it re-open when lockdown lifts – a year to the day after it was first forced to close its box office.
The Curzon Cinema in Clevedon has opened for only four weeks in the past 12 months due to the coronavirus pandemic, losing hundreds of thousands of pounds in revenue.
Bosses at the cinema say they are hoping to re-open when restrictions allow on May 17.
But with social distancing restrictions in place, it will see audience numbers reduced from 330 to just 90.
Now, in a bid to increase the numbers allowed in the 109-year-old picture house, bosses at the cinema have launched an appeal to raise £70,000 to allow it to restore and reopen its balcony area and increase capacity.
The Bring back the Balcony campaign will see the area, which has been hidden from view since 1972, revamped – and will allow the cinema to increase its capacity by 30 per cent.
Curzon CEO Susannah Shaw said: “Closure has led to a loss of £40-50k in income each month.
“The job retention scheme and
every ticket emergency funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund and smaller Government grants meant we have been able to retain staff and maintain the building.
“But we face a huge challenge to recover from this crisis and the next few years will be precarious for the Curzon.
“The removal of the false ceiling increased ventilation, but also revealed the glorious balcony.
“The community has long called for the balcony to be reopened and, whilst a full restoration is simply not possible right now, the view of the balcony has whetted appetites.
“Ultimately, when life becomes more normal, the balcony will seat 90 people.”
During lockdown the cinema has been screening films online for audiences.
Mrs Shaw said: “During the pandemic, many films are going straight to online streaming and fewer films are available to cinemas.
“An £83,342 grant from the Culture Recovery Fund from the British Film Institute has allowed us to plan ahead with a new sense of ambition to diversify our programming and activities to sustain recovery and reach out to new and younger audiences.
“This grant is restricted to this purpose and will be hugely valuable, but is not able to be spent on our general operating costs or the development of the balcony.”
A raft of measures was put in place when the Curzon was able to open when restrictions lifted last year.
The number of people allowed at screenings was vastly reduced, seats for screenings were numbered and hand sanitisers were dotted around the auditorium.
A major £650,000 project to replace the cinema’s leaky roof following a massive fundraising effort was also completed last year.
The Grade II listed cinema, a registered charity, opened in 1912 and is one of the UK’s few traditional independent cinemas showing mainstream and art house films.
The lockdowns were the first time the cinema, which stayed open through the first and second world wars, had been forced to close.
The work on the balcony will be completed within four weeks as soon as £70,000 is raised.
New platforms will be built for 25 luxurious tables.
Improvements include speakers, lighting and safety rails, as well as a new bar, kiosk and additional toilets.
Mrs Shaw added: “We were hugely grateful to the community for their incredible support for our roof appeal in 2019 which saved the Curzon from closure.
“I hope they will support us once again to give us the best chance to get through this crisis.
“Reopening the balcony is something which the community has wanted to do for many years so this project will give us something special to celebrate too.”
The Curzon is now run as a charity with a team of 150 volunteers.
The charity will join the rest of the cultural sector this week to #LightItInRed to mark a year of devastating impact from Covid-19 which has left arts organisations and professionals in crisis.
Donations for the Bring back the balcony appeal can be made online at www.curzon.org.uk/fundraising or by cheque payable to Curzon Clevedon Community Centre for the Arts and sent to Curzon Cinema & Arts, 46 Old Church Road, Clevedon BS21 6NN.
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