August 2007 – Lucy Seaward contacts Harborough Mail

September 2007 – petition started

October 2007 – over 8000 people from Harborough sign the petition

November 2007 – several cinema chains show interest in buying former Ritz site

December 2007 – the sites owner declines to sell as offers are not high enough

January – August 2008 – several attempts are made to broker deals with different parties to ensure a cimema takes place on the former Ritz site.  Several come close none actually is able to gain approval from all sides.

September 2008 – March 2009 – various meeting with the ownerwith plans do develop the site whith them – to include a cinema.  Problems with agreement on space required becomes a sticking point.

April 2009 – Hi Arts is approached about portable cinema unit 3/4 of a million pound unit complete with 35mm projector, sound system, air-con etc that is no longer in commission

May 2009 – formal tender and document sent requesting unit submitted by Harborough (as well as other towns)

September 2009 – Hi Arts appoints Harborough to take ove the unit subject to conditions

October 2009 – Harborough wins the bid to be given the unit

November 2009 – work begins to assess viability of Screen Machine in the town

December 2009 – plans are drawn up for refurbishment of unit and search starts for suitable company to operate it

February 2010 – Team from Leicester approach the campapign with ideas on how to run a cinema in Harborough.  Screen machine seems ideal match

March 2010 – Facebook Campaign starts and attracts over 1000 local people

April 2010 – Meeting at Angel Hotel to finalise plans and get the final pieces in place to officially launch Harborough Screen and the fund raising campaign at the end of the month.

April 29th 2010 – Campapign to raise £50,000 by the end of March starts in earnest.  Please sponsor a seat or join as a member today.

April 29th 2010 – The launch makes the front page of the Harborough Mail BBC Radio Leicester, Leicester Sound, HFM, BBC East Midlands today and the Mercury.

May 1st 2010- the first 15 members complete their forms and post cheques to campaign HQ!  We are on our way.  Also 7 companies have now signed up to sponsor seats.

May 18th 2010 – 50 seats have now been sold out of the 80 available, more than 20 membership cheques arrved in the post this morning meaning that we need only about 100 more members to have enough money to ensure that the Harborough Screen will take place.