Jodene Twimey-Roche and family from St Columb were greeted at lunchtime by WTW Cinemas managing director David Williams and Newquay Mayor Councillor Andy Hannan.
They were presented with a complimentary three-month family cinema pass, free popcorn, a large box of chocolates and free entry for the day.
In just three months of trading, owners WTW Cinemas are reporting ‘consistently strong’ business with around 1,000 customers on average each day. The Lighthouse Cinema has been a huge success with local people and visitors to Newquay since the four-screen building on Crantock Street was officially opened earlier this year.
The company is now gearing up for a busy period over the school summer holidays with an influx of visitors to Newquay and a number of big film releases out including Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows: Part 2, Cars 2, Captain America, The Smurfs, Mr Popper’s Penguins, The Inbetweeners and Rise of the Planet of the Apes.
David Williams, Managing Director of WTW Cinemas, said: “Celebrating our 50,000th customer in such a short space of time goes to prove that Newquay has desperately needed a cinema for some time. It also shows that the town has got much more to offer than just its night life – increasingly there are attractions for the whole family to enjoy and the cinema is something that people of all ages can appreciate. The support that we’ve received both locally and regionally and from the customers who’ve visited the cinema in Newquay has been overwhelming. We’ve been really busy so far and we’re expecting a busy summer.”
The Lighthouse Cinema, which seats 650 people, is the first cinema to open in Newquay for more than 16 years. It is the first purpose-built all-digital projection cinema in the South West and has two 3D screens.
Councillor Andy Hannan, Newquay Town Mayor said: “I am very pleased to see that both our local residents and visitors are supporting this fantastic venue. We have waited 16 years to have our own cinema and it is now up to us all to support it as much as we can to make sure that it thrives and goes from strength to strength. I am sure that I speak for the people of Newquay, when I thank WTW Cinemas for having the confidence and foresight to see the potential of building their latest cinema in our town.”
Family-run business WTW Cinemas owns and operates cinemas The Plaza in Truro, White River Cinema in St Austell and The Regal in Wadebridge. White River Cinema recently won the 2011 RAAM ‘Best Independent Cinema in the UK’ award.
The new cinema in Newquay is the second phase of the company’s development plan, which included the construction and opening of St Austell’s White River Cinema in December 2008. The third stage will be the refit of the existing Plaza cinema in Truro and the company hopes that work will get underway in late autumn this year. Plans are currently being worked upon for this venue.
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