The Cinema operator has exchanged a long-term lease with national urban regenerator, Muse Developments, to become the leisure anchor at Rotherham’s Forge Island.
The boutique cinema operator currently has six sites across the UK and Ireland, with a further two UK sites under construction and due to open in mid-2021. It specialises in providing a VIP cinema experience for the price of a standard ticket.
Along with the cinema at Forge Island, plans include a new hotel, food and drink outlets and a car park. The new leisure facilities will be set within an attractive public square with a new pedestrian bridge connecting the scheme to the wider town centre, to create a real sense of place.
Brian Gilligan, director at Melcorpo, which runs The Arc Cinema, said: “We were delighted to be selected by Rotherham Council and Muse to bring one of our state-of-the-art cinemas to the Forge Island site. We would like to express our grateful thanks to them for their support in helping make this possible.”
Dan Needham, development director at Muse Developments, said: “Agreeing a deal with such a respected operator as The Arc Cinema is a ringing endorsement of the innovative plans we’re looking to deliver at Forge Island.
Following the deal with The Arc Cinema, and discussions advancing with a major hotel operator, it is anticipated that construction will begin in autumn 2021.
