Success for Leicestershire town's cinema effort

A Leicestershire town which has been without a picture house for 30 years is set to benefit from a mobile cinema.

The cinema has been donated for the use of residents in Market Harborough by the Scottish Arts Council and £50,000 has been raised to refurbish the unit.

Businesses and individuals have contributed money to bring the cinema up to scratch.

A timetable for work on the cinema and the date of the first film has yet to be set.

Alastair Campbell who headed the fund-raising campaign to bring the cinema up to scratch said the money had been raised within a few months.

He said: "At the start of March we set the target of raising £50,000, and as of the last few days we've totalled up all the money we've received in terms of membership, seat sponsorship and also grants and we've reached the £50,000 total now."

Three years ago teenager Lucy Seaward started a campaign for a town cinema.

She said: "There are so many businesses out there that have been wonderful and supported us and supported a seat [in the cinema].

"There are quite a few people who are members.

"There's quite a big support for it and I think there are still more people who would want to show support as well."

The former Ritz theatre on Northampton Road closed in 1978 and later became a supermarket.

Ms Seaward had said people in Harborough previously had to drive 30 minutes to get to their nearest cinema in Kettering, Rugby, Northampton or Leicester.