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Worried for Burgess Hill cinema
LAST week I had a week off and indulged myself in a small cine-fest, going to the Burgess Hill Orion cinema three times in all.
As usual the quirkiness of the ‘cinema on a shoestring’ atmosphere added to the experience for me, with little gaps between adverts and film, the projectionist going into a door at the back of the auditorium and the lovely art deco style of the place. Nothing was lost in quality for all that, as on each occasion the picture and sound were excellent and the staff friendly.
They were slightly dispiriting visits, however, as the audiences were far too small, leaving me worried for the Orion’s future. Local cinemas are such a valuable asset to any town and generally they are struggling.
It’s natural for young people to want to go to the flashy multiplexes, but surely anyone over 30 (or with a family) should be able to see the value in supporting small local cinemas like the Orion – less travelling, easy parking, or even being able to walk to it. It’s so easy to lose these local amenities (as Haywards Heath did) and so hard to get them back again later – usually they never return.
So please support the Orion; if it can break the cycle of lower income meaning low investment, the management might have funds to spare to improve the infrastructure. Personally I’d like it to try becoming something of a film club in the afternoons, showing old films from past decades, which we never thought to see on the big screen again. It all takes investment and confidence though and only the local populace can supply that.
David Edwards,
Queens Drive,
Hassocks
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Weather for Haywards Heath
Saturday 26 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 12 C to 25 C
Wind Speed: 18 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 13 mph
Wind direction: East
