A FORMER cinema will open its doors to welcome visitors for one last time before being moved brick-by-brick to become part of a living history museum.

The Grand Electric Cinema will be transported 15 miles from Ryhope, Sunderland, to Beamish, in County Durham, where it will be restored to its former glory and preserved for future generations.

A community event is being held on Saturday before the final credits roll on part one of its history and deconstruction work begins.

Visitors can enjoy pre-booked tours of the auditorium and find out more about the plans to make part of the new 1950s town as part of the £18 million Remaking Beamish project.

Bill Mather, 77, from Durham, a trainee projectionist at the cinema between 1950 and 1955, said The Grand was a “Palace of Dreams” and used to visit from the age of five or six as he grew up in Ryhope.

He said: “The likes of The Grand was what the magic of cinema was all about.”

The cinema was built in 1912 but closed in the 1960s and became a bingo hall.

Now disused, it was donated to Beamish Museum by Angela and Gary Hepple.

Mr Mather has been sharing his memories with the design team, recalling what the cinema looked like inside and the appearance and location of features and objects.

He added: “It’s fantastic that Beamish Museum is taking a cinema from the early part of the cinema business and it’s being retained for posterity.”

Building work started this winter on the Remaking Beamish project, the biggest in the museum’s 48-year history, which will see more than 30 new exhibits added.

Geraldine Straker, Remaking Beamish’s community participation officer, said: “We’re working with the people of Ryhope to tell the story of their heritage as part of the project so we’re looking forward to welcoming people to the cinema for one last time before it is deconstructed.”

Visits to the cinema on Saturday must be pre-booked.

Beamish is also inviting people to get involved in a project to make a film about the deconstruction of the cinema, to be screened at Beamish and in the community.

A meeting is being held on Monday, February 12 at 6.30pm at Ryhope Community Association, where people can find out more and share their ideas.

To book a place, or find out more, contact Geraldine Straker, call 0191-370-4060 or email: geraldinestraker@beamish.org.uk