Halstead: Dad's campaign to bring cinema back

9:00am Tuesday 5th February 2013 in News

Halstead: Dad's campaign to bring cinema back Halstead: Dad's campaign to bring cinema back

A dad is campaigning to bring films back to Halstead.

Craig Smith, 30, has set up a Facebook page asking for people’s thoughts on bringing a cinema back to the Empire Theatre in Butler Road.

He began the campaign after hearing that no-one had signed up for the first trial minibus from Halstead to the multiplex at Braintree Freeport.

The £200 Halstead Town Council project is set to run for another three dates to see if there is interest in a permanent service.

Mr Smith, of Dooley Road, Halstead, said: “A lot of people out there have big families and they probably can’t afford to go.

“As well as the Facebook group I am going try and do some flyers and hand them out in certain shops and get people to sign up as well.

“If more people are up for it and think it is a good idea we can go from there."

See the Gazette for the full story. 

Comments(2)

MrStatto says...
6:16pm Tue 5 Feb 13

This is a poor idea with little or no research behind it, a bit like the cinema bus idea in the first place. The reason nobody used the bus is because everyone who goes to the cinema drives there. This is why they tend to be built out of town, next to enormous free car parks! On the subject of parking, spare a thought for Butler Road residents, who already lose their street parking to shoppers who are too tight to pay 50p for the car park. As for the cost of going to the cinema, has Mr Smith looked into the set up and operating costs of a small independent cinema? If he does, he might find that the tickets prices have to be more expensive than the likes of Cineworld! These kind of 'cottage cinemas' only tend to be a success as arts cinemas, doing something different to the multiplexes. And let's face it, you're not going to have them queuing round the block in Halstead to watch a subtitled Latvian thriller!

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tiramasu says...
6:40pm Fri 8 Feb 13

I had never heard of this direct bus service to freeport until now but think it's a wonderful idea and am sad no-one is standing up for that idea instead of bringing up the old 'what to do with the empire' debate.
Naturally as MrStatto said most people drive to the cinema, however the last couple of times I've been the parking has been horrendous.

The youth of this town and part-time workers who can't afford to run a car would seriously benefit from this service as the rest of the public transport system here in Essex is ridiculously overpriced and inefficient but has anyone asked them their thoughts on the matter?

I say don't give up on the bus idea, I'd use the service myself if First keep the prices low and if there's some sort of regularity in the evenings, that way it'd be good for commuters stopping off for a meal before going home.
ADVERTISE IT MORE, it could coincide with the 132.

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