Plans unveiled for new 170-capacity, three-screen cinema

The project, submitted by Essex firm Cinegogh, would see a dance hall at the Genesis Enterprise & Community Hub, Alfreton, turned into a three-screen cinema.

If approved, the scheme would see three cinema screens set up, catering for a combined total of 178 people, spread across a 25-seat screen, a 99-seat screen and a 54-seat screen.

The centre, off King Street, is already home to a bowling alley, children’s soft play area and community café, as well as with a business and conference centre.

In its application to Amber Valley Council, the applicant writes the cinema would be open Mondays-Saturdays, from 7am-3.30am, and Sundays and bank holidays, from 7am-midnight.

This could be a catch-all pitch aimed at getting the maximum hours, which will be negotiated down, but could also cater for midnight premieres and movie marathons.

A statement submitted in its application writes: “The Genesis Centre was originally built with the design in mind for cinema, although this never came to fruition.

“Our compact three-screen cinema would be a welcome addition to Alfreton, where the nearest multi-screen cinema is nearly 11 miles away.

“The space is already used for a variety of uses including dance classes and wedding receptions.

“The complex includes bowling and a gymnasium and is already a leisure destination.

“The addition of a cinema would be a seamless addition to the established leisure amenities. “There is sufficient access in and out as the centre caters for these other activities, allowing hundreds of people at a time to use the facilities.

“There is a main staircase and disabled access to the first floor.

“There is plenty of nearby car parking which can be used due to the nature of the current leisure uses there.

“No material changes will be changed on the exterior and internally the screens will be finished to a high standard in accordance with the necessary acoustics needed.

“To that end there will be very little difference in noise pollution to the current use.”

While the application claims the nearest cinema to Alfreton is 11 miles away – both the Odeon in Mansfield and Chesterfield’s Cineworld are a similar distance – the closest cinema is actually the Ritz Cinema, Belper, about seven miles away.