The Coliseum cinema is threatened with closure

Last year the fortunes of the Coliseum in Porthmadog seemed to be looking up.

But 12 months on film showings have been cancelled because no-one turned up to watch them, and it now has only a few weeks to raise the money to ensure it survives.

The 500-seat cinema, which originally opened in 1931, has been kept open by a group of local people for 22 years.

There is no point crying when the place closes Emyr Williams, volunteer

Volunteer director Emyr Williams said: "The running costs go up every year, on top of the usual maintenance and repair costs, and with audiences getting smaller that means less income and so less revenue."

Its future depended on raising �5,000 in the next few weeks, said Mr Williams.

"We decided in September to target 42 local businesses from Criccieth, Porthmadog and Beddgelert, inviting them to sponsor us.

"The response has been poor however, with only eight businesses offering sponsorship - one for �2,000 and the others to the total of �4,000 - which is not enough to keep us going through the winter months."

Mr Williams said the only hope now was for other businesses, or individuals, to come forward to offer financial backing, before the 2 December deadline.

Sponsorship

"We are asking for money in this way because it is the local community who own the Coliseum Cinema, following the successful campaign to rescue it from closing 22 years ago.

"We don't want to lose this important community facility which has serviced the community since 1931."

The goal, he added, was to keep the cinema open for at least another few years.

"We managed to secure sponsorship last year, but now we are facing another winter.

"Our heating boiler needs to be fixed, and we know we can't survive without backing.

"There is no point crying when the place closes."

There is also an appeal for people to use the cinema.

Films were not run on a few nights during September and October because no-one turned up to see them, he said.