Venue 08 March 2019
Happy Hippo-birthday!
The Hippodrome Cinema in Bo’ness will be celebrating ten years since its high profile restoration and re-opening in April 2009
The Hippodrome Cinema in Bo’ness will be celebrating ten years since its high profile restoration and re-opening in April 2009. Scotland's first purpose-built cinema flung open its doors after decades of closure at a glamorous red carpet community screening on 6 April 2009.
Since then over 275,000 tickets have been sold and annual attendances have risen by over 70%, to an all-time high in 2019.
The unique, independent cinema run by Falkirk Community Trust has won the hearts and loyalty of customers who travel from near and far to see its wide-ranging programme of new releases, family blockbusters, classics, international, independent, archive and art-house films. The bijou picture palace has even started Scotland’s only silent film festival attracting visitors from all over Scotland, the UK, America, Canada and continental Europe.
The cinema regularly holds special celebrity events with fascinating in-person interviews and has hosted screen stars like Still Game’s Sanjeev Kohli, much-loved director of Gregory’s Girl Bill Forsyth, the film critic Mark Kermode as well as up-and-coming award winning directors, screen-writers and actors.
To mark this milestone birthday Falkirk Community Trust have announced a suitably glittering prize. Ten lucky winners will be invited to an exclusive, VIP behind-the-scenes tour of the cinema on Thursday 11th April and treated to prosecco and canapés before attending a complimentary screening of the National Theatre Live broadcast of All About Eve, starring Gillian Anderson, showing ten years after the launch of the first National Theatre Live broadcast in 2009. The competition will be held on the FCT Arts Facebook page, search for ‘Falkirk Arts’ on Facebook. To be in with a chance of winning simply go onto the page, like the post, share the post and tag a friend you’d like to bring along. The competition is open to everyone and winners will be chosen at random on date Thursday 4th April 2019.
Alison Strauss (Arts Development Officer, Film and Media, Falkirk Community Trust) said:
“The Hippodrome is such a wonderful place to see movies and live cinema – the sound system and projection are always top notch thanks to the dedication and attention of the projectionists, the welcome is warm from the attentive and enthusiastic venue staff, the pop-corn is always fresh and the bar is well-stocked! People who come for the first time are always blown away by the atmosphere and are pleasantly surprised by the range of our programme. For some strange reason there are folk think we only show ‘old black and white films’, maybe because it is an old cinema, but the fact is we’re showing films that are current everywhere, as well as unique events… all presented with a bit of extra magic and sparkle...!”
“We can’t wait to roll out the red carpet for our ten lucky winners and their guests and show off the Hippodrome at its best”
The A-listed Hippodrome has been awarded 4 star status by Visit Scotland and in the last ten years has picked up a number of awards including prizes for: ‘Best Practice in Creative Regeneration’, and the ‘Winner – Community Benefit’ awarded by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.
David White, Chair of Falkirk Community Trust said “The Hippodrome plays a significant part in delivering the Trust’s ambitions to provide access to excellent cultural opportunities and to shine a light on the vibrancy of the Falkirk area. This commitment is underpinned by a robust and sustainable business model and it’s notable that, ten years from its grand re-opening, the Hippodrome has both re-asserted its place at the heart of the community whilst attracting audiences from across the district… ensuring this very special cinema will be delighting audiences for years to come.”
“The cinema has had a key role in the regeneration of Boness Town Centre, boosting audiences year round, supporting local tourism, contributing to the distinctiveness of the town, provide learning, engagement and volunteering opportunities and, in so doing, to contribute to self-esteem, local pride and the local economy. “
Cllr Robert Spears, (Portfolio Holder: Culture, Leisure and Tourism) said: “Falkirk Council is pleased that their initial investment in the Hippodrome prior to its re-opening in 2009 and their on-going support has helped establish the profile of this iconic building both locally and across Scotland. We are also grateful to the Scottish Historic Buildings Trust for their continued support as landlords of the building.”
