Cinema City has always prided itself on being independent and offering a completely different cinematic experience to the multiplexes, with a focus on world cinema and education. Changes to the cinema, which celebrates its 25th anniversary this year, have been in the pipeline for some time and it was widely believed that expansion would mean a change of venue. But director David Litchfield said Cinema City has been working closely with Norwich City Council and English Heritage to ensure it can remain in the 16th Century listed building. He said, "It's a very small site, it's a building of great historic interest and we have to be very thoughtful about the plans"  Director of Cinema City, David Litchfield |
"We've now come up with a plan that will maintain the medieval charm of this building but also allow us to build a modern three-screen cinema," he added. With its fundraising efforts and grants from local authorities, the Arts Council of England and other organisations, the cinema is only £50,000 short of the £3.25 million needed to complete the project. The expansion will include two new screens, improved training and education facilities and a new bar. It will become the first digital cinema facility outside London. City centre manager of Norwich City, Carolyn Dunn said it is essential the city retains its arthouse cinema. "I consider it vitally important that Cinema City is given every opportunity to exist alongside the wealth of multiplex cinemas," she said. 
Artist impression of the new courtyard at Cinema City. |
"Art house cinemas offer audiences the chance to enjoy a variety of new and classic movies as well as foreign films from esteemed, though not always commercially viable, production companies from all over the globe." Cynics may argue that opening another two screens would see the cinema selling out, but the chair of the board of management at Cinema City, Keith Bartlet, admits it is a case of adapting to survive and insists they will stay true to their principles. "The singular screen cinemas aren't viable over a long term partly because of competition from multiplexes," he said. "The cinema's been here for 25 years and built up a track record in the range of art cinema that it shows and also its education program. Those are the keys to what we want to do for the future," he added. Laurie Haywood, the chief executive of Norwich-based Screen East, said they are supporting the venture as it adds so much to the culture of the region. He said, "It's actually fundamental, I think, because this is where you can come and see a different film each week and this is where the quality of film really matters, not just the box office." Once planning permission is confirmed, the cinema will close at the end of December to undergo extensive redevelopment. The building work will take up to a year to complete but in the meantime, films will be shown at the Playhouse. | 
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