Lights, camera, action for independent cinema

Tony Scott helps to run the cinema while Michael McKnight owns the venue

A city is welcoming back film screenings after its only cinema collapsed into administration.

The Empire Cinemas complex in Sunniside, Sunderland, permanently closed in July, last year after opening in 2004.

Cinematographer Tony Scott thought it was a "big miss", so decided to set up a replacement inside community music venue Pop Recs, on High Street West.

He said tickets would be affordable and it would host the city's delayed premiere of Oscar-nominated film Barbie.

Not-for-profit Pop Flix has been set up inside Pop Recs' hall, home to the original Binns department store, and can host up to 70 spectators.

It has also secured the licences to show recently released Blockbuster films, and will host live music before some showings.

Pop Recs, which is mainly used for music, has been repurposed into a movie theatre

Mr Scott, who lives in Roker, said residents had missed having a cinema.

He told the BBC: "We were pretty gutted when that happened and we want to try and create a bit of that here and the community feel really... and fill that gap.

"Not having it [the Empire] there, you had to go out to the multiplexes on the outskirts, and it's just not the same as having a cinema on your doorstep."

He said a team of five people were now involved in the running of the cinema, which will serve up popcorn, food and drink.

“We’re going to try and mix it up a little, we want to put on family films and cult classics."

'Real appetite'

Michael McKnight has run Pop Recs - a venue that has brought names such as James Bay and Franz Ferdinand to the city - for the past decade.

He said the opening of the cinema had come at the right time and two test runs over Christmas had seen tickets "sell out".

“I think there's a real appetite in Sunderland for people to spend their money in the city," he said.

"For quite a while there weren't really the places to do that, but now there's great cafes, great places to eat, and the beautiful seafront, and now people are staying in the city centre."

The Empire Cinemas complex in Sunniside, Sunderland, closed down last year

Sunderland City Council, which has taken ownership of the former Empire Cinemas building, has faced pressure from locals and opposition councillors to bring the site back into use.

The authority's Labour leader Graeme Miller said it was now in "advanced stages of agreeing a lease" with a replacement operator, but was not yet in a position to release further details.

However, Mr Scott anticipates Pop Flix will be able to operate alongside the cinema, if reopened, as they will offer "different things".

The first official screening will take place with Disney's Wall-E on Sunday.