REEL CINEMA COMMITS LONG TERM TO SKELMERSDALE TOWN CENTRE

Reel Cinema will commit to a 15 year lease in Skelmersdale as part of St. Modwen’s plans to regenerate the town centre.

The leisure provider was confirmed as the anchor tenant of the scheme in December. The lease agreement signals long term commitment to the town and is the latest milestone for the £10 million scheme, which will bring 50,000 sq ft of leisure and entertainment space to Skelmersdale and introduce a new night time economy, transforming the town centre.

As well as a leisure offer, the scheme will bring 50,000 sq ft of essential new and different retail facilities to the town and is estimated to create in excess of 500 jobs. In addition, it is anticipated that this long-awaited scheme will become the catalyst for further investment and improvements to the town, and is a vital piece of Skelmersdale’s vision for the future as set out in the Local Plan of 2013.

A planning application for the scheme is currently under review after being submitted by St. Modwen, which is working in partnership with West Lancashire Borough Council and the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA), in November.

St. Modwen already has outline consent for a mixed-use scheme in Skelmersdale including a cinema and a large food store in the town centre. However, because demand for large format food stores has decreased, the proposals have been adapted to meet current market requirements and the revised application reflects these changes. A recent public event for the scheme showed that 98% of people who visited the exhibition were in favour of the scheme.

Paul Batho, Projects Director at St. Modwen, said: “Securing our anchor leisure tenant for the long term demonstrates commitment to bringing the delivery of this scheme forwards. It is the first vital step forwards in the transformation of Skelmersdale, which we know from our recent event is something that is wanted and needed by residents. This latest milestone means that people can expect to see activity accelerating on the site over the next few months once planning is secured. Our scheme will bring essential leisure and retail facilities to the town, as well as £10 million investment. With an anchor tenant in place, work could start as early as this year subject to securing planning consent.”

KC Suri, Managing Director of Reel Cinema, said: “This is an important step forward and reiterates our commitment to bringing this cinema to the area and being part of a vibrant, integrated leisure development with a range of restaurants and bars. Our new cinema in Skelmersdale will provide six screens showing all the latest blockbuster releases and a full range of children’s programmes. All our cinemas have a programme designed for the local area and we will be offering our Kids Club, Seniors Club and Reel Teens, making this long awaited facility the perfect family destination for the people of Skelmersdale.”

Gary Green, local resident and student at West Lancashire College, said: “Skelmersdale is really lacking in facilities at the moment. We had a cinema in the 70s or 80s but it got knocked down and there hasn’t been much since. I think this scheme is just what we need to breathe some life back into the town and provide places for people to go in the area.”

There will also be extensive improvements to the public realm as part of the proposals, including the long-awaited new high street linking between the college and the existing town centre, together with major investment in new street furniture, lighting and public art. There will be significant enhancements to the public areas outside the library and Nye Bevan Leisure Centre. The Scheme also integrates into Skelmersdale’s hidden gem, the Tawd Valley.

St. Modwen, the UK’s leading regeneration specialist, has been working in partnership with the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) and West Lancashire Borough Council since 2007 for the delivery of a comprehensive regeneration scheme in Skelmersdale town centre.