Hope for historic cinema after ticket sales boost

A group hoping to buy Liverpool's oldest cinema has said huge ticket sales in December have highlighted the demand in the community for it to reopen permanently.

Woolton Picture House first opened its doors in 1927 but has been closed for the last five years.

Twelve Christmas films were shown during a temporary reopening in recent weeks, however, with Woolton Cinema Community Interest Company (WCCIC) trying to raise £700,000 to buy the building and carry out the repairs that would be needed before it can reopen permanently.

One of its directors, Lynn Dockerty, said it had been "an emotional experience" for a lot of people to return to the cinema for the first time in many years.

"It has been a really lovely feeling across the whole of the12 days," she said.

"People have been coming in saying how much they remember the cinema and how they've been excited to come back.

"It brought back a lot of emotion for people. People have said the last time they were there, was maybe with their mum, dad, uncle, aunty, who has passed away since they last went.

"It's just been a massive sense of community - and the ongoing fundraising will be a huge community effort."

Fellow director Iain Christie said WCCIC had managed to sell 7,300 tickets during the festive period which had given the fundraising campaign a big boost.

"It's been invaluable we've made around £50,000 that can go into the funds in profit," he said.

"We know there is a long way to go but we also know that there is a lot of people out there who want this to happen."

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