THE boss of the firm coming to Okehampton to convert the market hall into a cinema complex has pledged once outstanding details are tied up, his team will be ?moving forward as rapidly as we can?. Geoff Greaves, proprietor of Merlin Cinemas said he was ?delighted? with the decision of West Devon Borough Council?s planning committee last week to approve a planning application for the two-screen cinema scheme. Mr Greaves said legal arrangements were in the process of being completed, which would mean conversion work should start in early October. He said it was a ?strong possibility? the cinema would be open by Christmas. Mr Greaves said he could make no guarantees about the opening date, but vowed ?we will do everything we can do to try and be open by Christmas.? He said: ?It is a reasonably straight forward building project. It is a nice big hall compared with some of the run-down cinemas we have converted in the past.? He said Merlin Cinemas would aim to offer a ?broad range of film types? from commercial family films to more art house pictures. Mr Greaves said with only two screens, the firm would be looking for a fairly fast turnaround ot films, to keep interest high. He said the cinema was likely to show two presentations an evening in each screen, plus extra screenings at weekends and occasional matinees, depending what films were available at any time. Mr Greaves acknowledged there had been some delays and controversy over the scheme. He said: ?It has been a long time getting to this point, but I am sure once the cinema opens, it will be a vital new entertainment facility for people in Okehampton and the surrounding area.? He said refurbishment work would also be carried out upstairs to provide a bar and cafe area to ?compliment a visit to the cinema?.
