Community plan backed for Aberdeen's Belmont Cinema

The cinema has been closed for almost a year

A community group has taken a major step forward in its attempts to reopen Aberdeen's Belmont Cinema.

The Aberdeen City Council-owned city centre facility closed last year after the charity that oversaw the running of it went into administration.

Belmont Community Cinema Ltd has been named preferred bidder to bring the three-screen cinema back to life.

City councillors have agreed to give the group time to raise funds and finalise its plans.

Twenty jobs were lost when the cinema shut.

• Film fans 'heartbroken' at independent cinema loss

Edinburgh's Filmhouse was also affected by the collapse of the charity Centre for the Moving Image last October.

There are now also hopes for a revival of the Filmhouse after a deal on its future was agreed.

The Aberdeen independent cinema has three screens

Aberdeen's cinema opened as the Belmont Picturehouse 23 years ago in a building where films had been shown since the 1890s.

Its screens have seating for 272, 146 and 67 people.

Aberdeen City Council sought interest from potential new operators in May this year.

Belmont Community Cinema Ltd, which was set up up by The Belmont Cinema Campaign, said it was delighted to be given the chance to reopen it.

The company said: "Over the last few months, the team has worked tirelessly to put together a business plan and vision for the Belmont that puts the community front and centre of everything that we do."

It said the focus of site would be film, education, community and customer experience.

Aberdeen City Council's finance and resources committee approved a report recommending the community group be named as preferred bidder.

Councillors also backed proposals for the venue to become a space for all arts, and for a licenced restaurant to be run in the premise's basement bar.

Council co-leader Ian Yuill said: "People have missed having an independent cinema in our city centre since the Belmont Cinema closed.

"Choosing a preferred operator is a very important step towards reopening the Belmont Cinema under new management."

He added: "We look forward to seeing the preferred operator develop their plans into a thriving and popular cinema once again."