Phoenix Cinema reopens

After eight months, the long awaited return of the Phoenix Cinema has arrived, as doors opened today, Friday, November 27.

The Pickaquoy Centre took to the social media site Facebook to announce the news, and at 2:45pm the doors to the cinema lobby were unlocked, ushering film-goers inside once more.

The inaugural showing of the newly reopened cinema took place at 3pm, featuring Tenet, directed by Christopher Nolan, responsible for The Dark Night, Interstellar, and Inception.

Senior cinema projectionist, Victoria Rhodes said: “It feels strange, but familiar, its very exciting obviously to be open again, and it’s one of things where you do it so much, it’s getting back into those old familiar habits, but at the same a little bit strange because it’s been so long.

“Obviously seeing our first customers come through the doors is really exciting.

“There’s something magical about cinema anyway, especially when it’s been off for so long, just getting people back in the doors, turning on the projector, getting the lights on, starting to show something on screen.

“It’s just got that really magical feeling.”

Several COVID-19 measures have been put into place, such as two metre distanced queuing, seating “bubbles” of one household, and face coverings are to be worn when moving around the centre.

A full list of COVID-19 measure put in place can be found at https://www.pickaquoy.co.uk/about/reopening-plans