Now showing: Work in progress on new Everyman cinema at Grand Arcade

Work has begun on the Everyman luxury cinema at the Grand Arcade in Cambridge, which is due to open later this year on a 25-year lease.

Housed on the first floor of the centre, occupying 15,600 sq ft of space that was previously home to the Arcadia Group, the new cinema complex will be accessible from the main shopping mall.

It will be the first Everyman cinema in Cambridgeshire.

Julie Kervadec, marketing manager at the Grand Arcade, said: “We started the work on 8 January and right now, because they are merging three units, they have broken the walls between each unit.

“So now we have this massive space that you can see in the picture, and now they’re starting to build walls again.”

Hylton Cresswell, operations manager at the Grand Arcade, said: “We’re busy putting in some of the hard surfaces. There is an upgrade to the electricity because there’s quite a draw of current that we need to supply.

“We’re looking to do a handover in July to the shop-fitters who will then start with the actual cinema shop site.”

It is hoped that the cinema will be open to the public in the autumn, around October or November time.

“It will definitely be open before Christmas,” said Julie, adding that there will be five screens.

“When you enter the cinema area, there will be a bar, where you can go even if you’re not going to the cinema, and then five cinema rooms behind the bar.”

Hylton said: “The other thing is that it’s probably our first real nighttime offer in the mall – so it’s going to have a nice impact on our night trade, and obviously it means that the centre will stay open a little longer, if there’s anything special in terms of screenings.

“There could be a late-night viewing that could take you till three in the morning; it’s a different dynamic for us, just in terms of what we have on offer.”

Julie added: “As Hylton said, it’s a very exciting addition to the centre, and it’s going to bring a different offer to the centre, with the leisure aspect.

“Also, this concept of cinema I think is not very well known yet for a lot of people. They are expanding across the country but there are still people who have not experienced it.

“It’s what they call a ‘boutique cinema’, so it’s a very premium experience – more comfortable, more intimate; you can get food served to your seat, you can get a glass of wine, obviously there will be a very nice and cosy bar to welcome you – and the cinema rooms are also very nice and a very different style to the big cinema chains people have been used to.

“We’re very happy because we think that it actually complements very well our offer and it’s in line with Grand Arcade’s positioning – and it will also be a great addition for the first floor of Grand Arcade and the centre as a whole.”

Julie is waiting to hear more from Everyman in relation to what will be screened, but believes that blockbusters will be shown alongside independent features. The cinema will also organise events.

For more on the Grand Arcade, visit grandarcade.co.uk. For more on the Everyman cinema chain, go to everymancinema.com.