Manager wants to bring back love for cinema

THE newest manager of Chalmers Filmhouse in Arbroath wants to reignite locals’ love for cinema after a decline in attendance after Covid.

Film enthusiast Connie Gallagher took over as general manager last year. Since then, she has been making changes to make it more enjoyable for visitors.

This has included bringing in new suppliers, holding special events and asking for suggestions of which films to screen.

Chalmers Filmhouse, which opened in 2014, is the only cinema in Arbroath.

It has been a success, but Connie has noticed there has been a recent decline in the enthusiasm for cinema.

She said: “I feel like Chalmers was a place people really loved and then Covid happened and there’s been a bit of a dip.

“I think cinema universally is struggling because streaming platforms make everything available at the touch of the button.

“But I love the cinema. I love films, and I love it as a part of Arbroath.”

She adds: “For me, going to the cinema isn’t just about watching a film.

“It’s about the experience of the drinks, popcorn and watching something within a shared community.”

Previously, the cinema’s Facebook page was used for the promotion of films.

However, Connie is putting a particular focus on growing the cinema’s social media presence.

She explained: “One of the first things I noticed was people saying they didn’t know who the staff were so I introduced them on social media.

“Being interactive is a really big thing for me, and making our customers feel like they have a voice.”

The cinema has recently been showing old films that many people haven’t seen on the big screen.

She said: “I’ve been encouraging customers to choose which films are getting shown.

“That gets people involved in the business, and that’s really important to me.

“I look for suggestions on social media.”