Pola Cinema announces “The End”

The Pola Cinema has announced that it will show its final film on June 13, conceding defeat to the onset of multi-screen entertainment complexes and digital technology.

The cinema reopened its doors in 1992 with a 154-seat screen, three years after the complex had closed for redevelopment, and two years later a 40-seat second screen was added. But with the industry changing to digital technology, its owners faced a £130,000 outlay to make the switch.

“It’s just not financially feasible in this current climate so, unfortunately and with a heavy heart, we have made the difficult decision to close the Pola,” said Richard Thacker, who inherited the cinema management from his father Charlie who was involved since the 1950’s until his death in 2004.

“It is becoming an increasingly popular trend that people are looking for more of a night out when they visit the cinema and not just go for a movie. Growing numbers of people would rather make the trip to Shrewsbury, Telford or even Wrexham where the customer has a much wider selection of restaurants, fast food outlets and bars to choose from and truly make more of their night out. Oswestry is set to have a new multi-screen cinema within 18 months and so we would have been squeezed that little bit more.

His son Simon had also played his part in the cinema’s management and said the decision to close was a “sad day”.

“The Pola has been a part of the Thacker family for a long time and we have thought long and hard about it and it has not been an easy decision, I assure you,” he said. “But the time is coming where we would need to go digital and with the current economic climate and how fast Computer Technology evolves it simply wouldn’t pay for us to do it. It has been an amazing experience to follow on from both my Grandfather and Father’s footsteps and the Pola will be truly missed by us all, but the time has come to close its doors.

“We would like to thank all the people who have supported us over the years. We have always done our best to provide the top films to the Welshpool area at the lowest prices, but unfortunately time has caught up with the Pola and there is nothing more we can do.”

Films have been showing in the town since a mobile cinema did the rounds in the early 1900’s. Several locations were then used for 30 years – including the current Mark’s Autos building – before the big screen finally found its permanent home at the Pola in 1938.  Charlie had been a mainstay at the Pola since joining from school in the 1950’s as a projectionist and met his wife Nancy there, who was working in the Pola Milk Bar.

However, there is some good news for local movie goers with Richard confirming that the Regent Cinema in Newtown would remain open and will continue to show the biggest films first at the same low prices.

To find out what’s on for The Pola’s final curtain call, visit www.polacinema.com

And to find out what will be on at the Regent Cinema, visit www.regentcinema.co.uk