The Screen Machine has now been transported down from Arbroath in Scotland to just outside of Market Harborough.  It is now being stored in this ’secret’ location until we are able to obtain planning permission from the council.  As soon as this is obtained we hope to move it onto the location beside the Harborough Town Footbal Club where renovation and refurbishment can start.

This picture shows Garry, Paul, Wendy and Haydn from the Cinema Committee during our initial inspection this afternoon.

We are delighted to say that we have found a new site for the Harborough Cinema.  After the land owner on St Mary’s Road pulled out unexpectidly, we are pleased that Harborough Town Football Club have agreed to allow us to use some land beside their club.  In addition,  we will be using a number of their facilities including their bar.  This will greatly enhance the cinema experience for many of the cinema goers and we are delighted at the new location close to the town’s leisure centre.  We also hope that it will generate extra income for the club – an important community facility – and we look forward to running some joint ventures together.

It does mean that the cinema won’t open in time for the summer holidays but we will post a rough opening date for later in the year as soon as we can.

You may have read in the paper or heard on the radio today that the landlord who we had negitiated with to use his land on St Mary’s Road has now changed his mind.  This is obviously a major set back to the campaign as we has felt that this site was perfect for what we wanted.  However this is his land and he has the right to do with it as he wishes.

We have been looking for alternative and are now looking into 3 other sites that we think may be suitable.  Expect an announcement here soon.

If you think of a site near the town centre e-mail alastair@idealmarketingcompany.com with your suggestions.

Sad to say that if we can’t find a suitable site in the next few weeks the whole project may not be able to go any futher – but no money has been spent so if you have sponsored a seat or joined as a member no money will be taken from you bank account.

It might have been demolished in 1974, but the site that will soon be home to the Harborough Screen was once the hole to an earlier cinema in the town.  The Oriental Cinema once stood to the site.  Let us know if you have any memories of visiting or working in the cinema.

These 3 pictures were taken by Mr Hugh Sykes at the time of it’s demolition.  It would be wonderful to have some pictures of the cinema at it’s peak in the 1930’s or 1940’s.

Over 3,000 letters and membership application forms have been passed out by Harborough schools this week.  Robert Smyth, Welland Park, St Josephs primary school, Lubenham primary school, C of E primary school and Meadowdale have all sent details about the cinema home to their students.

Also a big thank you to Stacey, Adam and Garry who have now handed out over 2,000 leaflets by hand to homes around the town.

If just 1 in 15 of these parents return their form this week we will know for certain that we have enough money to ensure that the Harborough Screen will go ahead by the summer.