The boss of Penrith’s Alhambra cinema, Alan Towers, is set to “ride off into the sunset” after 18 years in charge, citing shrinking audiences and rising costs as the reasons for his departure. But the good news is that the property’s owner, Graves Cumberland, will be taking on the running of the cinema, says Alan.
“Over the years, it did quite well to begin with,” he said. “So well that I put on a third screen. And then the (new) local competition more or less removed our profit element. We have operated at break even for eight years now and I have donated my time freely for it.
“Covid hit us badly, then the writers’ and actors’ strike in America hit us as well, it delayed films, then the energy crisis meant our electricity bill went up 350 per cent.
“It has come down a bit now, but the costs are just so much to keep a cinema going that it got to the point earlier this year that I went back to the owners and said ‘I will have to hand this building back to you’.”
Alan says he has sought and received assurances from Graves that they would keep the building open as a cinema and “look after the staff”.
“So at that point I thought well it is pointless me being here any longer in that case,” he said. “I can happily ride off into the proverbial sunset. That is the best case for the future of the cinema.”
Alan explains that as he was paying rent this also cut into his profits and “meant there was nothing left at the end”.
“I was actually paying to work at the cinema and keep it going at the end,” he said.
Graves Cumberland has substantial experience in the industry, owning and operating the Ritz cinema in Workington and Gaiety in Whitehaven. With intense pressures on cinemas, including competition from digital streaming services, Alan believes an ownership management model is the best way to secure a longer-term future for the Alhambra.
Alan will continue to manage his cinema in Annan, which has been owned by his family for generations.
He adds that he has been very proud to have brought a diverse array of films to Penrith over the years, including international and art films. He says he used to like his “Sunday alternatives” but added: “Towards the end we were losing money on virtually every Sunday alternative we showed. Frequently we were not getting enough people in to cover the cost of hiring the films.”
He also says he is proud to have put money back into the building when he could, including, “new carpets, new sound systems, new projection, new screen, the new foyer. I have renewed almost everything apart from the walls. The people of Penrith and around that visit will get the benefit of everything I did for quite some years to come I feel sure.
“Graves Cumberland are going to look after it and they are a firm that are used to cinema. It makes sense that they can look after it and they can secure the future of the cinema better. It is good that it is going to continue and the staff will be looked after. I was pleased to see that they would take it over and take it on.”
The handover is expected to be finalised in the next few weeks.“End of October possibly, we will changeover,” says Alan. “It will be quite seamless in that it is not as if the cinema will be closed for any length of time. It will keep on running.”
“The main thing is the staff will be looked after, the cinema will keep open and Penrith will keep its town centre cinema.”
