REVEALED: Ripon's long-awaited new three-screen cinema nears completion ahead of early 2027 opening

The developers behind Ripon's long-awaited new cinema have confirmed the three-screen venue is on course to welcome its first audiences early next year following its multi-million-pound refurbishment.

The 10,000 sq ft venue on Fishergate, currently undergoing a major refurbishment, is expected to open in February or March 2027, bringing the latest blockbuster releases, independent films and live screenings back to the cathedral city for the first time in years.

The opening date has been revealed as work continues to transform the building into a modern cinema complete with three screens and a luxury lounge where visitors will be able to enjoy food and drinks before or after screenings.

Ahead of the opening, memberships and gift vouchers have gone on sale through the Ripon Cinema website, with cinema-goers also able to sign up for newsletters featuring exclusive updates, behind-the-scenes progress and early access to announcements before tickets are released.

John Tate, who is leading the project alongside business partner John Hewitt, said the opening had been pushed back from its original target because of challenges encountered during the extensive refurbishment.

He said: "We had originally intended to have a pre-Christmas opening, but as is often the case with large reconfiguration and refurbishment works of this nature, there have been a couple of issues that we needed to resolve.

"We are now on schedule for an opening in early 2027 and are looking forward to welcoming filmgoers from Ripon and neighbouring towns and villages to experience the wow factor of watching the latest releases and screenings from the National Theatre and Royal Opera House in the sumptuous surroundings that we are creating in Fishergate."

The new venue will be around four times the size of the award-winning Ilkley Cinema, which Mr Tate and Mr Hewitt opened in 2015.

Ripon Cinema will have a combined seating capacity of 157 across its three screens and is expected to host between eight and ten screenings each day, running from 10.30am until 8pm.

The project marks the latest venture for the experienced cinema operators, who have already established successful independent cinemas elsewhere in Yorkshire.

Their Ilkley Film Theatre was named Cinema of the Year at the Big Screen Awards in 2022, seven years after opening, while in 2018 they restored and expanded Wetherby's historic Caxton Street cinema by adding a second screen and a contemporary lounge area.

Mr Tate said the pair had been encouraged by the support shown across Ripon since unveiling their plans.

"We have been extremely encouraged by the warm welcome our plans have received in this wonderful and historic city and we hope that the cinema's opening will provide a boost to the local economy," he said.

"Our thanks go to the Mayor and Mayoress of Ripon, councillors Andrew Williams and Jackie Crozier, the city council, Ripon Civic Society and the independent businesses in Ripon who voiced their support both individually and through the BID, whose help and advice has been exceptional."

Ripon BID Manager Lilla Bathurst has welcomed the investment, describing it as another sign of confidence in the city's future.

She said: "In common with local residents, our members across all business sectors in the city have wanted this development to go ahead from the moment that John Tate and John Hewitt unveiled their plans.

"The investment by two seasoned and award-winning cinema operators is a further sign of the confidence that investors like them and Sterne Properties Limited have in our magnificent Cathedral City of the Dales, whose post-Covid recovery puts us high on the list of UK locations where independent businesses want to be and, importantly, places where people want to visit."

For more information, visit www.riponcinema.com