Take a look inside new three-screen cinema now rolling in Middlesbrough town centre
A new cinema in Middlesbrough is now welcoming audiences and you can take a look at what's on offer here.
Roxy Movies is a three-screen theatre on Captain Cook Square, promising "not just your average trip to the movies". Construction crews had been on site since November and the curtain has now lifted.
The plans for the cinema were approved by Middlesbrough Council's planning committee in April 2023 and it joins the likes of the Level X gaming centre, Play Factory and InflateSpace on the square. Teesside Live spoke to the boss of the show, Alejandro Whyatt, and was invited inside for a sneak peek.
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Alejandro said: "I would say it has a robust, boutique and independent feel. There is sofa seating as well as standard chairs and we're going to be very price-competitive."
Latest releases will be screened however the team aims to cater for an eclectic range of tastes. There could be theme nights and cult classic showings in the pipeline, with a range of genres on offer.
"It will be really diverse because the Teesside area has a huge population so cinema has to be for everyone," said Alejandro. "There are a lot of OAPs who like cinema but won't maybe want to go to a multiplex."
Middlesbrough Council bought Captain Cook Square in 2020 with the aim of transforming shops into leisure and hospitality outlets. The cinema is part of the wider Future High Street Fund programme and was funded by the Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen and the Tees Valley Combined Authority.
Neighbours also include Bazaar restaurant and Wendy's fast food venue. "There is the Bazaar restaurant next door which is high class and attracts a lot of professionals so those people again probably prefer independent," said Alejandro.
"It will also cater to families, young kids and people on a budget - we will be affordable for them. And of course there is a huge amount of teenagers and the student population who have a very wide-ranging mix of what they want to watch.
"With three screens we can more of less give everybody what they are looking for. I can see it doing very well with National Theatre Live productions."
People are being invited to share their thoughts and ideas of what they would like to see on the big screens. "It's not for us to dictate tastes," said Alejandro.
"We're quite happy to show things which people want. I'd like to think we might be able to do a Rocky Horror Movie party here and there, for example."
Alejandro's family has been involved in cinema for around 100 years and Roxy Movies runs theatres across the country including venues at Norfolk, Wales and Oxford. "This is my first one up north and hopefully not the last," said Alejandro.
The cinema has its own social media pages where people can find more information and the latest updates. Visit Instagram - roxymoviesmiddlesbrough, a Facebook page is here and the website address is roxymiddlesbrough.co.uk
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