From Hollywood hits in high definition to a cosy coffee with friends, a new cinema is promising to offer more than your traditional night at the pictures.

The Light Cinemas is due to open its newest venue in Thetford on Friday, December 2, with three screens showing everything from Hollywood blockbusters to independent cinema to global operas and ballets. The latest film in the Star Wars saga, Rogue One, will be one of the first on the programme.

As well as around 300 cinema seats in its first-floor screens, The Light will also have a spacious café bar downstairs, occupying a corner unit on Bridge Street in Thetford's Riverside development.

Opening from 10am and complete with customer Wifi, Light Cinemas' head of brand Phil Dove hopes the café – which can be used by non-cinema customers too – will provide a popular place for people to relax, work or study in the town.

Mr Dove said: 'We want it to be a good quality place to spend time, and we will be taking ideas from the community about what we can do here.'

In a new venture for Light Cinemas, the café bar will be offering a mouth-watering menu of milkshakes, waffles and gourmet hotdogs.

Mr Dove added: 'This particular cinema will demonstrate to us if a high quality food offering and a small cinema can work in a town like this. We think we can make it work.'

The Thetford venue will be Light Cinemas' seventh. Manager Simon Pinches, who previously worked with Cineworld and Vue, said the company's dedication to a good customer experience makes it stand out.

'It goes all the way through the building from the film presentation and standard of product to the seats and screens. It goes above and beyond the bigger chains.'

The cinema will have around 20 employees – Mr Pinches said those already employed all live 'within a five-minute radius' of the site.

The building's fit-out, being completed by Phelans, is expected to be completed at the end of the month in time for a VIP opening event on December 1.

Bill Borrett, chairman of Breckland Council, which is a partner in the Riverside development, said: 'What we wanted from the Riverside project was for it to benefit Thetford, and with the jobs it is creating that is fantastic.

'It is in an amazing spot and the building is of sufficient quality to compliment the streetscape.

'It is a fantastic offer here and I am very excited about it.'

To find out more go to www.lightcinemas.com