THE UK's first all digital cinema has this week signed on the dotted line to become an anchor tenant at the Cromwell Retail Park development, in Wisbech.
As revealed exclusively by the Citizen in October, The Light Cinema’s first ‘designed for digital’ six-screen multi-plex cinema will see live sport and music events beamed directly into the town, as well as around 15 films a week.
The multi-millio
n pound project, which is set to create over 100 new jobs in the town, will see a vast mix of retail and leisure facilities situated on the site of the old Wisbech Stock Car stadium.
Delighted Development Director Jonathan Clogg said: “This is a hugely exciting time for our project as we buck the trend and soak up the available leisure and retail spending for this area of East Anglia.
“The Light concept will ensure the park outperforms in demographic and trading terms, attracting people from far outside its natural catchment due to this ground-breaking digital concept.”
Mr Clogg also shrugged off claims that the huge development, which will take around 12 months to complete, is set to collapse – despite saying in April that construction would start in June. Speaking to the Citizen on Monday, Mr Clogg said the recent downturn in the country’s economy had led to delays in the project.
“It’s a tough old world out there,” said Mr Clogg, adding that he hoped construction work would begin in September ready for a grand opening a year later.
Keith Pullinger, of The Light Cinemas, was equally excited about the project. He said: “The scheme provides an excellent demographic location for our first digital cinema in the UK. This is a ground-breaking time for the cinema industry and the digital concept we will be delivering is the future and the first of many cinemas that we will be opening over the next few years."
The Cromwell Road development is said to be, at 151,000 sq ft, one of the largest retail and leisure developments to come off the ground this year.
The rapidly growing list of occupiers already signed up for the development include Next, New Look, Pets at Home, Brantano, Home Bargains and Wickes, with further announcements anticipated within the next week to 10 days.
Mr Clogg added: “We have more retailers considering the scheme than we have units available and all of these parties are significant national retailers.
“We are going to be selective with the tenants we sign to deliver a sustainable retail park that builds on the strength of the excellent tenants we have already secured.”
Above is an artist’s impression of how The Light Cinema at Cromwell Retail Park will look.
The full article contains 459 words and appears in Fenland Citizen newspaper.
