Just 18 months after reopening Croydon’s arthouse cinema, the Save the David Lean Cinema Campaign has sold its 10,000th ticket.
Bridget Cushen, a local resident, bought a ticket for the psychological thriller The Gift at the cinema’s box office, and was told that she had helped Croydon’s community-managed venue reach the milestone.
The David Lean Cinema, named after the borough’s Oscar-winner movie director, was closed by the council in 2011 as a result of austerity cuts to spending. But after a three-year campaign by enthusiasts, it re-opened last year as a volunteer-run venue, now a Community Interest Company.
With at least two screenings each week, the sale of the 10,000th ticket demonstrates that the David Lean Cinema has been operating at near-capacity since re-opening. Offering tickets at just £7.50 per film – many of them screened soon after release – it seems the demand may be based on price as well as the programme of films chosen by the Campaigners.
The Campaign arranged a presentation at which Cushen received a commemorative golden ticket from Box Office manager Alan Peakall. She will also be given a complimentary ticket for her next film.
Cushen said that she admired the “passion and enthusiasm” she witnessed, adding: “There’s a lot of dedication needed from a large number of volunteers, all of them totally committed to the cinema.”
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