A new cinema will be able to thrive in the city despite the rise in home streaming, the leader of Lichfield District Council has said.
Planning permission was granted for the transformation of the former Debenhams site into a four-screen facility.
The work will also see some neighbouring retail units knocked down to create a wider plaza area at the front of the building and develop a link through to the wider redevelopment plans on the Birmingham Road site.
However, some critics have highlighted the rise of streaming options such as Netflix and the challenges facing some cinema operators.
But Cllr Doug Pullen, leader of the council, said cinemas remained a viable business:
“Some of the big, out of town multiplexes like the ones I might have gone to as a child are the ones perhaps no longer doing as well – but we see smaller boutique cinemas that offer an experience and a night out in a nice environment doing really well.
“The operator we’re looking to proceed with, their visitor numbers, their spend per visitor, their screening times are all up. They’re opening venues at a fairly decent rate of knots across the UK. So the type of operator we’re looking to work with certainly aren’t failing.
“While we might have Netflix at home, well I’ve got a kitchen at home but I still like to go out to eat.”
Cllr Doug Pullen, Lichfield District Council
Although much focus has been on the cinema development itself, Cllr Pullen added that the wider benefits of the scheme also needed to be considered.
In a video released on the council’s YouTube channel, he said:
“A cinema has long been perceived as a game changer for Lichfield city centre.
“We know that a cinema brings other businesses with it, whether that’s restaurants or shops – they naturally attract other types of businesses.
“It’ll be really good in terms of public transport too. It’s right opposite the train station and operators regularly look at when people want to be using trains, so we’ve already had an early indication that if a cinema were to be open then more train services would be put on to Lichfield City, particularly later in the evening.
“That will not only be helpful for people who are visiting the cinema, but it would be helpful for people who are visiting our existing wonderful independent restaurants and bars, so it’s really, really important not only to the economy directly, but also to our wider population as well.”
Cllr Doug Pullen, Lichfield District Council
Lichfield isthe poor relation to Tamworth, we have a council that doesn’t aspire to be great, the skateboard park was reduced is size, the old farts running the council didn’t consult children many of whom fond them selves with no amenities after 6 pm, kid are not interested in smaller boutique type cinema, please tell us one on the screen is IMAX size at very least ? Lichfield isn’t a come to city, I love going into Birmingham to watch a movie at IMAX cinema can bet your Life Doug pullen will benefit from this pathetic deal , I want it to be a success, but I fear it will fail
I sincerely hope Cllr Pullen is right in his views, because it’s a large commercial risk being taken on with our money but his statements smack of confirmation bias and desperately trying to justify taking that risk. I’d like to think the decision is being made on more than the view that “perhaps” larger multiplexes aren’t doing as well. If not, why not? Once you’re sitting in a cinema the number of screens is irrelevant. Is it “perhaps” because the trend away from watching films at cinemas is taking root in the younger population and will flow through the demographic over the next few years? I don’t know, but neither does Cllr Pullen seem to from his statements.
I also think care needs to be taken with unintended consequences – if trains are put on later on the cross city line, I think we’d all welcome that as it would make leaving the city for a night out in Birmingham a lot easier.
Where will the parking be? Is it free? Included in ticket price? Your having a laugh!
The Adalphi cinema,(Birmingham) a massive art deco building with pillars and ornate decoration, was built from scratch and opened in ten months; this was in 1927!
It takes our council longer than that to think about it, even when the building is already there and only needs modest alteration. I note that there is no promised date for opening. Next year seem to be the mantra, but not exactly which year.
Our council leader has been a great dissapointment. He is disinclined to listen to the public concerns even when he says he is. The citizens are constantly undersold on many of the facilities and infrastructure they pay so heavily for. Doubtless that too will be more burden in the coming months.
Yes it will.
He really is a deluded fool. I find it a personal insult that my council tax is wasted on these vanity projects that are doomed to fail.
By far the worst council and planners in the country.
“more train services would be put on to Lichfield City, particularly later in the evening” – what about the buses? No effort seems to be put in to making the bus services better, especially in the evenings. People from the wider Lichfield District won’t be coming into Lichfield by train. At the moment the only option is to drive (for those who have cars), because evening bus services are non-existent, but Doug Pullen and the Council are planning to knock down the popular multi-storey car park and sell off the bus station for housing. The tiny triangle of space across the road, which is currently a pleasant green area outside the train station, is nowhere near big enough for a bus station. There’s barely space for one bus and turning will be a nightmare. We’d all love a cinema, but the way this is being done will be disastrous for Lichfield.
I don’t wish to be a wet blanket, but I do fear that theses politicians playing with public resources are inclined to live in a parallel fantasy world.
Comparison to a narcissistic presidential candidate across the pond may seem harsh, but prominent public roles seem to attract a certain ilk.
Walsall The Light Cinema. Films showing 29.1.24 (Checked 9:08 29.1.24)
19:45 Mean Girls – 4 seats booked
19:10 The Color Purple 0 seats booked
19:40 All of Us Strangers 4 seats booked
20:00 The Holdovers 12 seats booked
Is there really the huge demand Cllr Pullen is suggesting?
Don’t the masses order uber eats/just eat who bring the food to the door for consumption while watching the film on their huge home TV. Funny how Pullen sees it through the prism of knocking up a nutritious meal in his kitchen. For many the reality is quite different.
This whole notion that a cinema will fail because of streaming is completely false. There has been some loss of audience in multiplexes in recent years, but this is not a major worry (just look at trade journals). It is a fact that the cinema experience is changing, and in the last 4 years there has been a huge increase in boutique cinemas across the country. These cinemas offer a completely different experience than the average multiplex, often allowing access to films that wouldn’t be shown at the average Odeon. Cinema going is an “experience” and the smaller cinema chain allows for this to be developed. Lichfield should see itself as the cultural capital of Staffordshire and why would anyone argue against something that would add to the cultural awareness of the city.
Remember cinema is not all about superheroes and cartoons!
Liverpool. ( it has been intimated that the this is the Company coming to Lichfield.)
Boutique Cinema …A fair experience ,Good Food, Comfortable Leather Seats. Cocktails served as you View your selected Film, by attentive staff.
Cost £151 .for us a Couple
Certainly would not go on a Weekly basis. Far too expensive. Duration of Visit two half hours.
We did not stop for Coffee at £4 cup.
Hopefully our new Cinema if and when it opens will be affordable.
Whilst I applaud the sentiment I, like most others, think that given the number of subscriptions to Amazon and Netflix, fear it is a commercial no no
I’m looking forward to watching Guardians of the Galaxy 27 when this cinema finally opens!
@Alan – Amazing, you must know more than the cinema operator that I assume will be signing up for a long lease, given the up front fit out costs being carried by the landlord…