HERE is our final look at the history of the Plaza Community Cinema.

We told how trustees managed to raise the £325,000 needed to buy the building with two days to spare.

A big hurdle then facing the cinema was securing a good booker, a role filled by Geoff Hornsby, described as a “real gentleman� and who, without which, the cinema “would not have lasted five minutes�.

Sadly Geoff had to give up booking through ill health and passed away in October 2004.

The cinema has always tried to keep ticket and kiosk prices as low as possible to make the Plaza accessible to as many people as possible in the local community.

And, despite an Odeon multiplex opening four miles away in 1998, this policy, combined with good housekeeping, has provided sufficient revenue to keep the Plaza afloat.

Janet Dunn, chairman of trustees, managed the cinema as a volunteer single-handedly for a year until funds were obtained from the Lloyds TSB Foundation for an operations manager.

In 1998, Plaza 3 was opened showing a diverse range of films and, until recently, the cinema was the only one on Merseyside to have an artscreen.

Kidscreen started in January 2000 and has on average 150 to 200 children every Saturday morning.

The Plaza has also built up an education programme carrying out work with schools and community groups to create workshops around topical subjects such as racism, obesity and bullying.

In 2000, the Plaza was eligible for New Deal staff who complimented existing volunteers and in 2004 the cinema joined the Intermediate Labour Market helping long-term unemployed people to return to work.

In 2003, funding was secured for a general manager and Henry Howell joined the team, introducing the social club to the cinema on a Thursday, as well as nostalgia nights including one for the Plaza’s tenth anniversary.

In October 2006, Francis Cassidy joined the team as chief executive and has steered the Plaza through rocky times.

Janet said: “The Plaza to me is a very special place, it has brought tears and laughter to probably a million people or more since it first opened its doors in 1939 and the thought of losing that is something I cannot bear to think about.

“We have come a long way in ten years – we are now one of the largest social enterprises in Sefton.

“We are still chasing much needed capital investment and have just been shortlisted for the Big Lottery Peoples Millions so I would ask you all to look out for us, and should we manage to make the TV, vote for the Plaza.�

• Post to:
•  del.icio.us
•  Digg
•  Newsvine
•  Nowpublic
•  Reddit