One of the UK’s most historic cinemas has announced plans for a £5 million upgrade to secure its future.
The Glasgow Film Theatre (GFT) is looking for ‘significant investment’ to bring the 1939 venue up-to-date and future proof it with a net zero fit-out, reports The Glasgow Herald.
On the plan is full refurbishments for the two main cinema screens, including new seats, and a new net zero energy systems that will take in new heating, lighting and ventilation.
‘The GFT is a jewel in the crown in the city centre,’ the cinema’s outgoing CEO Allison Gardner tells the Herald. ‘The GFT cannot be turned into anything else; it’s a custom-built cinema.’
‘Things are still at the planning stage,’ she says. ‘The first step will be to start fundraising and then there will be a timetable for the work.’
‘It will be about how to weather-proof the building, conserving energy, looking at how there can be cold air in the screens.’
The GFT is one of the UK’s most prestigious and storied cinemas. When it opened as the Cosmo in 1939, it was the first purpose-built art house cinema outside of London. It’s home to the Glasgow Film Festival and has hosted movie luminaries like Richard Linklater, Ken Loach, Baz Luhrmann, David Lynch, Martin Scorsese, Tilda Swinton and Quentin Tarantino down the years.
The cinema will remain open during the renovation work, which will take place under the leadership of new CEO Seonaid Daly, the executive director of Glasgow Film.
Fundraising is expecting to get underway at the end of the year.
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