The opening date for The Regent in Redcar has been confirmed.
Tickets will go on sale online from Monday 17th October, for opening day on the evening of Friday 21st October. Tickets from Friday onwards must be bought online in advance by visiting www.merlincinemas.co.uk
Filmgoers will be able to see family music comedy Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile and the new DC film Black Adam, starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.
Future films coming soon include Roald Dahl's Matilda The Musical, Avatar: The Way Of Water, Puss In Boots: The Last Wish, and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
The art-deco style cinema has three large, well-proportioned screens each with comfortable stadium-style seating and ample legroom. It will be showing all of the latest first run films as well as Event Cinema, in which operas, ballets, concerts, and live shows are beamed via satellite – direct from locations such as The Royal Opera House, the National Theatre, and more.
The operator of The Regent, Merlin Cinemas, offers a Movie Magic Card, designed to make a trip to the cinema especially affordable for local people. Cardholders can take advantage of “Magic Mondays” offering 2 for 1 off the standard ticket price and major discounts on tickets every day, all year round. Cardholders pay just £4.50 for children and £6 for adults.
There are also matinee screenings called “Mini Merlins”, which take place most weekends and during school holidays, with tickets costing £2.50 for any age. Merlin Cinemas also take part in the national Meerkat Movies deal on Tuesday and Wednesdays, and the CEA card scheme, which allows people with disabilities to obtain one free ticket for a person accompanying them to the cinema.
The Regent also provides a line-up of screen entertainment that caters to everyone, including subtitled and autism-friendly screenings.
The Regent is also home to a café bar which is on the second floor and has panoramic views of the stunning coastline and a sheltered terrace, which are all fully accessible via a lift.
The café bar and cinemas are also available for private hires and school screenings making The Regent a valuable new social amenity.
Around 20 jobs, mainly part-time, have been created for local people and the cinema is expected to boost the local economy with the increased footfall using local bars, restaurants, and shops before and after visiting the cinema.
Chris Collier, the new General Manager, and Neil Bates, Assistant Manager, both have years of cinema experience, with Neil having been the manager of the original Regent cinema.
Parking is available on Turner Street, Newcomen Terrace and Station Road, with several bus stops and the train station all within a short walking distance.
Construction of the £9.6million Regent was part of the £20million Welcome to Redcar programme funded by the Tees Valley Mayor and Combined Authority.
Geoff Greaves, Director of Merlin Cinemas, said:
“Seeing a film at the cinema with family or friends is a very different experience to watching the film at home. With the latest digital projection and sound, it is more memorable and offers a sense of occasion. We are grateful to Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council for giving us the opportunity to operate this brand-new cinema. We look forward to working with them in the future to provide local people with a top-class venue offering first class entertainment and customer service.”
Cllr Chris Gallacher, Cabinet Member for Economic Growth at Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council, said:
“This is what we have been waiting for, and we are over the moon to be able to say that you can now book your tickets to the cinema.
“We want to thank everyone for being so patient. The Regent will provide fun and entertainment for our residents and visitors for generations to come. It has created jobs, and it will bring people into the town to spend their money in our brilliant local businesses.”
Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen said:
“It’s great news that the Regent’s ready to throw open its doors to guests and will prove to be a big asset for the town. This is yet another way our funding is helping to make Redcar and Cleveland an even better place to live, boosting tourism for the benefit of local businesses, while creating good-quality jobs for local people.”
To book tickets, or see what’s coming up soon, visit Merlin Cinemas.