A TYNE Valley cinema has revealed its plans to reopen in the wake of the coronavirus lockdown.

While cinemas have been told they can reopen from July 4, the Forum Cinema in Hexham is taking a more measured approach, and is not planning to reopen until September.

Management cited reasons over the difficulties in allowing space for film fans to socially distance in the cinema. Under current restrictions, the cinema's capacity would be reduced to 20 per cent, which would not be financially sustainable.

However, there is some good news - the Forum has announced the appointment of David Nixon as cinema manager.

David has been the programme and communications manager at the Forum for three years, and is happy to be stepping up despite the challenges.

He said: "The Government has announced that cinemas can reopen from July 4, and whilst we are hugely welcome of that news, in reality we are going to take a more cautious approach and aim to reopen in September.

"We know that some of you may be disappointed with this news, and it is by no means an easy decision to have to make. However, the safety of our staff and our customers is our main priority.

"We will be using this time to look into making alterations to our auditorium to ensure that when we do reopen our doors, we are able to safely sit enough customers to operate in a financially sustainable way.

"I am delighted to be charged with getting the Forum Cinema back up and running again.

"I hadn’t anticipated starting the role in the middle of a pandemic, but I am confident we can bounce back when the time is right.

"It is fantastic to know the cinema is so highly regarded and supported in the Tyne Valley, and we thank you all for your continued support as we get ourselves ready for a grand reopening, when it is safe to do so.

"We will keep you posted of our progress as we all emerge from lockdown and look forward to a brighter year end, filled with the best films from around the world - but most importantly, with the Forum team behind me ready to welcome you all back.”