A NEW restaurant which is part of a grand plan to improve Durham’s only cinema is due to be open by Christmas.

Picturehouse Cinema is due to take over the running of the cinema at the Gala this autumn.

The company has submitted plans relating to The Kitchen - a new restaurant in Millennium Place, which is planned for the former tourist information centre and will include outdoor seating in the square.

The restaurant and rebranded cinema, which will see the existing two screens renovated, are expected to be open in time for Christmas with further redevelopment expected next year.

Project manager Jon Barrenechea said: “There’s a new Star Wars film out on December 16 and we would very much like to be up and running by then.”

Picturehouse says it hopes to start building two new screens next year, which when completed would take the cinema’s capacity to 500 people.

Two rival cinema groups have also revealed plans to open new screens in the city. Everyman Group hopes to open a three-screen cinema on the redeveloped Milburngate House site in 2019, while a six-screen Odeon is expected to open in 2018 as part of the redevelopment of The Gates shopping centre.

Mr Barrenechea said he was “sceptical” both cinemas would become a reality.

He said: “Whenever we’ve opened cinemas we’ve always encountered lots of plans that never happen so we take it with a touch of scepticism but we feel the Gala is the best location in the city for locals and the student population.

“We have got a strong enough offer to stand out from the competition if it does come to fruition. What we do is neither a run-of-the-mill multiplex or luxury either. We’ll create a real access for all looking after all segments of the population.”

The company hopes to offer a range of blockbuster films, art house cinema, and rare and foreign films as well as screen events from across the world like live theatre performances and opera.

Mr Barrenechea added: “We’re really excited to come to Durham. We’ve wanted to come here for ages. We are in university cities across the country and Durham has always been one of the places we’ve felt was in that family.”

Picturehouse has been programming the cinema since last April as part of an agreement with Durham County Council, which owns the Gala complex.

The Gala building will continue to be owned by the council, which will still operate the theatre.

The plans for The Kitchen can be viewed by visiting www.durham.gov.uk