Hopes That New Scarborough Cinema will Boost Night Time Economy

Monday, 13 March 2023 06:00

By Matthew Pells with additional reporting from Anttoni James Numminen, Local Democracy Reporter

It's hoped that the conversion of Scarborough's Brunswick Shopping centre into a multiscreen cinema will give a boost to the town's night time economy.

Planners last week approved a change of use for the venue, clearing the way for a multi-million pound project to redevelop the centre.

The plans would see the shopping centre become a cinema, leisure and retail centre which could include restaurants and bars.

Councillor Jane Mortimer thinks it will help other local traders in the town.

The multi-million pound redevelopment plan has been put forward by leading property regeneration specialist, Scarborough Group International, which acquired the centre in September 2021.

The plans state that the cinema will take up to 2,700 sqm out of the centre’s almost 14,000 sqm of space.

The cinema is proposed to be in operation at the latest from 9am until 2am on Friday and Saturday nights, and until 11pm from Sunday to Thursday.

An operator for the cinema has not yet been announced, at which point the size of the cinema and number of screens are set to be decided.

Local councillors on the borough's [planning committee approved the change of use for the building at a meeting last week with several of them commenting that the change is good news for the town's night time economy.

Among them is Councillor Roberta Swiers

The “mostly vacant” Brunswick shopping centre has seen a decline in trade and tenants since it was opened in the 1990s and councillors are hoping the scheme will bring the town centre “back to life”.

Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service after the decision, the leader of Scarborough Council, Cllr Steve Siddons, said:

“I’m delighted and I think that it is the right decision at the right time.

“Like everyone else, we’ve suffered from a decline in retail and town centre activity and this is the thing that will bring that back, particularly the early evening economy which is something we’ve been very much lacking.”