Clevedon's cinema has launched a fundraising appeal to urgently raise £70,000 to reopen its historic balcony to increase capacity.
One year ago, the coronavirus lockdown closed the Curzon Cinema for the very first time in its 109-year history.
The cinema, in Old Church Road, was open for just four weeks in the last 12 months, which had a financial
impact on the charity and left its future uncertain.
The Curzon hopes to reopen on May 17, but with Covid-19 social distancing and cleaning measures reducing audience capacity from 330 people to just 90, and the number of possible screenings to just two, there remains a risk to the cinema as its outgoings remain the same.
The Curzon has launched a fundraising campaign to 'bring back the balcony', revamping the space, which has been hidden from view since 1972.
The balcony will increase socially distanced capacity by
30 per cent, putting the charity in a stronger position to survive and recover.
Susannah Shaw, the cinema's chief executive said:
“Closure has led to a loss of £40-50,000 in income each month. The job retention scheme and emergency funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund and smaller Government grants meant we have been able to retain staff and maintain the building - but we face a huge challenge to recover from this crisis
and the next few years will be precarious for the Curzon.
“The removal of the false ceiling increased ventilation, but also revealed the glorious balcony. The community has long called for the balcony to be reopened and, while a full restoration is simply not possible right now, the view of the balcony has whetted appetites.
"Ultimately, when life becomes more normal, the balcony will seat 90 people."
During the pandemic, many films went straight to online streaming and fewer films are available for cinemas to show.
A £83,342 grant from the Culture Recovery Fund from the British Film Institute allowed the Curzon to plan ahead with a new sense of ambition to diversify its programming and activities to sustain recovery and reach out to new and younger audiences.
MORE: Funding grant pushes Curzon Cinema closer to roof.
Ms Shaw added: "This grant is restricted to this purpose and will be hugely valuable, but is not able to be spent on our general operating costs or the development of the balcony.
“We were hugely grateful to the community for their incredible support for our roof appeal in 2019 which
saved the Curzon from closure.
"I hope they will support us once again to give us the best chance to get through this crisis - reopening the balcony is something which the community has wanted to for many years so this project will give us something special to celebrate too.”
The work on the balcony will be completed within four weeks as soon as £70,000 is raised. New platforms will be built for 25 armchairs, sofas and tables and improvements include speakers, lighting and safety rails, as well as a new bar, kiosk and additional toilets.
The additional capacity will mitigate some of the losses the charity has faced this year.
Covid - A Year On: Areas with the most and fewest deaths.
A Curzon spokesman added: "Cinema has been proven to increase emotional wellbeing and social cohesion and, with the pandemic having a significant impact on mental health and loneliness, access to cultural and social activities in the community will play an important role.
"The additional space created in the balcony will also help
those people who feel more concerned about returning, to feel more comfortable.
"The Curzon is more than just a cinema - it is a central hub of culture in Clevedon and North Somerset. We join the rest of the cultural sector this week as we #LightItInRed to mark a year of
devastating impact from Covid-19 which has left arts organisations and professionals in crisis.
"With the support of our loyal audience, local community and donors, the Curzon staff and volunteers
feel hopeful they can 'bring back the balcony' and that this important historical and cultural charity will
come back stronger and survive for future generations."
Donations can be made online at www.curzon.org.uk/fundraising or by cheque payable to Curzon Clevedon Community Centre for the Art and sent to Curzon Cinema & Arts, 46 Old
Church Road, Clevedon BS21 6NN.
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