Long-closed cinema awarded further grant funding
Paignton Picture House TrustAn ongoing project to restore a Grade II* listed cinema that has been closed since 1999, has secured further funding.
The National Lottery Heritage Fund has awarded Paignton Picture House £249,127 in a bid to help the building become fully operational later this year.
Historic England (HE) recently invested £675,246 in the project, supporting works to stabilise the building and restore architectural features after it was added to the Heritage at Risk Register in 2013.
Julian Carnell, trustee of Paignton Picture House Trust, said the trust was "excited to take the next steps towards reopening the doors," and described it as a "hugely significant moment" for Torbay.
'Feel inspired'
He said: "We're creating a place where people can come together – to watch films, experience live events, learn, connect, and feel inspired.
"We're incredibly grateful to National Lottery players for making this possible, and we're excited to take the next steps towards reopening the doors and putting Paignton Picture House firmly back at the heart of community life."
The latest funds are expected to help the trust "recruit key staff, establish operations and build partnerships to prepare the venue for reopening," the organisation said.
An outreach programme set to feature pop-up screenings, heritage workshops and youth engagement across Torbay will also be made possible, it added.
The National Lottery Heritage Fund's Stuart McLeod, said the cinema was a "remarkable example of the UK's cinema heritage and one of the most-loved historic buildings in Torbay".
"Its revival will transform how this building is used, bringing it back into community use after all these years and helping it look towards its future," he added.
The picture house opened in 1914 and once saw Agatha Christie as a regular visitor.
It closed in 1999 before being added to the Heritage at Risk Register in 2013.
A date for the reopening has not yet been confirmed.
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