Parking fees pay for new cinema

People in Newbury have been waiting for a new cinema since 1998

Motorists and not movie-lovers are to pay for the building of a new cinema as part of an unusual council plan.

West Berkshire Council wants to increase parking fees and introduce evening charges to find the £500,000 needed to fund a new cinema in Newbury.

Apollo Cinemas have agreed a deal to open the six-screen multiplex on the site of the Market Street car park.

But as part of the deal the council must provide £100,000 a year for the next five years to support the cinema.

The council says council tax payers would not be expected to come up with the £500,000, as the money would be raised by "new car parking revenues".

'Self-financing'

Mike Rodger, West Berkshire executive member for culture and leisure, said. "We will have at long last secured what the local community most wants, a cinema, and at no cost to council tax payers.

"A combination of new car parking income and the introduction of an evening charge would cover the agreed funding."

Nick Carter, corporate director at West Berkshire Council, said: "A number of parish councils have pledged financial support but we are confident that new car parking income would make the cinema self-financing and would cover the annual payment.

"If the executive approves the proposal next Thursday, 10 February, we hope to move quickly to finalise legal agreements with the landowner so that construction can begin on site in September this year."

Residents have been without a cinema since 1998 when the last one closed.

If the plan is approved the cinema is expected to open towards the end of 2006.