Exciting plans for a new community cinema in Westbury have been unveiled by Westbury Town Council, with screenings hoped to take place at least once a month at the Laverton.
The opening film, on Friday 31st January, will be Twisters, the 2024 blockbuster starring Daisy Edgar-Jones, Glen Powell, and Anthony Ramos, which achieved the best-ever opening weekend for a disaster movie.
The cinema will be located in the Laverton’s main hall, and tickets will be priced at £5. The first screening will serve as a trial, but the council is hopeful that regular film showings will follow, based on community feedback.
“We’re very excited about bringing Westbury Community Cinema to the town,” said Patrick McGowan, the town council’s buildings and facilities manager.
“We’ll be speaking to the audience and the wider Westbury community to see what films they would like and how often. We’re confident it will be well received. Hopefully people in the town will support a community cinema and enjoy the chance to watch a film in their hometown.”
Plans for the cinema include a variety of film screenings, from family and children’s films to old classics and special events, such as dementia-friendly screenings. “We’ve got plenty of ideas, but we want to hear from the community too,” Patrick added. “If people have suggestions for films or other ideas, we’d love to know.”
“The idea came when I was looking at historic Westbury photos and saw a picture of the old Westbury cinema and thought how great it would be to bring a cinema back to the town. The Laverton is the ideal venue. It’s a fantastic facility in the centre of town; most people in Westbury can walk here, and it also has a car park opposite.”
With the town already hosting events such as the chilli festival, Christmas lights switch-on, soapbox derby, and Sunday brunches, the new cinema is expected to be another popular addition for the local community. “It’s just another great thing for people in Westbury to look forward to,” Patrick said.
“A fiver a ticket is great value; the bar will be open so you can even enjoy a drink at the same time!”
The first film will begin at 7.30pm, with doors opening at 7pm. The screening is expected to finish around 9.30pm and is rated 12A. For more details, see the town council’s social media channels.
Pictured: Patrick McGowan outside the Laverton
