The Radway Cinema in Sidmouth has secured more than £42,000 in grant funding from the Government’s Culture Recovery Fund.
More than two hundred independent cinemas in the UK have been supported by the fund to date, which makes provisions for safety grants to help towards the costs of Covid-secure measures to protect staff and audiences as well as grants to help sustain them financially.
Sidmouth’s cinema was allocated £1,369 as a safety grant and a business sustainability grant of £40,774, which was delivered by the British Film Institute on behalf of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. Cinemas across England have now benefited to a tune of £16 million from the £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund.
In a post on Radway Cinema’s Facebook page the company said: “In some better news to cap off what has been the most difficult year for all of us, thanks to the BFI and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, our cinema has been awarded vital funding towards helping survive the crisis.
“Like all businesses, the cinema industry is going through a difficult time with many films being delayed and the wider situation meaning we can only sell a very limited number of seats for shows, where indeed we are allowed to open.
“The good news is that 2021 is looking like a great year for cinema as films have stacked up ready for release and great new content is being made available all the time.
“Thanks to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Culture Recovery Fund and BFI for awarding us vital funding to help bring audiences back to our cinema!
We are #HereforCulture, and we'll see you all soon!”
The Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said: “The magic of film is such an important part of the festive period and this investment will help protect our independent cinemas so they’re around for many Christmases to come.
“Alongside it, the extension of the Film and TV Production Restart Scheme means the UK will be producing even more great content as the cinema industry recovers, keeping us at the forefront of the creative industries."