Paignton Picture House to reopen after 24 years

Agatha Christie watched films there

A disused Devon cinema where Agatha Christie used to watch films is to reopen for the first time this millennium.

The government has stumped up £284,730 from the Community Ownership Fund for the transformation of Paignton Picture House.
 
It will become an independent cinema and performance venue, with additional space for community education and creative workshops. 

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities is forking out £150 million from the fund for projects across the UK. It helps community groups take ownership of local institutions that have fallen into disrepair or are under threat of closure and give them a new lease of life. People can bid for up to £1 million to take control of prized local assets that are at risk of being lost forever.    
 
Dehenna Davison, Minister for Levelling Up, said: “This cash will help to restore the Paignton Picture House and give local people a great venue to take a trip to the cinema.   
 
“We want people across the country to have great opportunities no matter where they live, and ensuring they can continue to benefit from treasured local institutions is an important part of this.”    
 
Josephine Brown, Project Director for the Paignton Picture House, said: “The grant will enable the Trust to bring this important historic building and much-loved community venue back into use.  
 
“It emphasises the significant value that this project has an anchor regeneration project in the town centre, with a vision to be truly transformational for place-making locally.  
 
“For over 100 years the building was at the heart of community life, and the grant brings the Trust one step closer in our ambitions to reopen the fully restored building within the next 18 months".