Abbeygate Cinema in Bury St Edmunds sets up 2020 Building Blocks Fundraising Campaign to help with major redevelopment

A Bury St Edmunds cinema is appealing to members of the public for help to carry out a major redevelopment at the site.

Abbeygate Cinema, in Hatter Street, is currently in its first phase of the work, which in total is expected to cost hundreds of thousands of pounds, with a new foyer, toilets and fire exits due to be completed in September.

Phase two, which will see the creation of a premier cinema screen in the former bingo hall, is due to start next spring and the cinema is appealing to its loyal customers to help deliver the plans.

Abbeygate Cinema has launched the 2020 Building Blocks Fundraising Campaign, which is asking patrons of the cinema to donate between £50 and £100 towards the building’s new look.

In return, those who donate will have their names carved into an ‘optical illusion’ art piece which will be designed by local sculptor John Williams and installed at the cinema.

Andrea Holmes, marketing manager at Abbeygate Cinema, said: “In time, the final art piece will be unveiled. Whatever form it takes, it will be amazing and a talking point and we hope that people will embrace that and want to be part of it.

“We hope that it will be something special and will be there for years to come.”

She added that donations to the campaign will be made via a dedicated website that has not been launched yet.

As part of the campaign’s launch, the cinema are inviting customers to attend short talks on the redevelopment plans, the first of which was held on Monday.

Addressing the packed-out theatre, project manager Chris Peters said: “If we are able to finish phase one in September and get that bit through, hopefully it will keep the momentum going.”

He added that the redevelopment will also see the expansion of the restaurant kitchen and the separation of restaurant service from cinema service to reduce customer queuing time and allow for better flow through the building.

“We’ve been blown away by the take up of this talk and interest in the project so any friends or family members who would be interested in learning more, please tell them to come along to future sessions,” he said.