One of Norfolk’s most iconic cinemas is set to reopen after undergoing a six-figure revamp during lockdown.
Majestic Cinema, in King’s Lynn, is finally making its return on Friday, July, following a four-and-a-half-month closure amid the coronavirus pandemic.
But the hiatus has at least enabled a major refurbishment to be completed, with a fourth screen now installed at the Tower Street premises.
The two downstairs auditoriums have meanwhile been rejuvenated by brand new screens, seats, lighting and sound systems.
Ahead of Friday’s grand reopening, at which Majestic will show nine different films, manager Tom Cundy was upbeat at the prospect of unveiling the new look.
“We couldn’t be happier with how it looks,” said Mr Cundy, who has worked at the cinema for 10 years. “This is a cut above what we had before and hopefully everyone will be pleasantly surprised when they start coming back.
“It’s a substantial six-figure sum that has been spent and people will certainly see no expense has been spared. We’ve really gone into detail and thought of everything.
“People love the history of the building and understandably there was some concern, but everything has been done in keeping with the character.”
In addition to the renovation, lockdown has also given the cinema, which opened in 1928, plenty of time to consider how to safely welcome back customers.
Staff have been making preparations to ensure cinema-goers feel as comfortable as possible, including by introducing an allocated seating policy to aid social distancing.
Other measures include staggered film times, protective screens and paperless tickets, with those who book in advance receiving a QR code to be scanned on arrival.
Wearing a face covering will not be mandatory for staff or customers.
“Until people start coming through the door we won’t know for certain how things will go, but we’re confident we have all the necessary measures in place,” added Mr Cundy.
“We’ve had a couple of practice runs which went well, and our seating system - which is something we haven’t had before - is working smoothly.
“All we want is for everyone to feel comfortable and enjoy coming back to the cinema.”
For more information on the cinema’s COVID-19 guidelines and safety measures, visit Majestic’s website.
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