Durham's proposed Everyman cinema plans to increase number of screens

The Everyman Cinema is due to open as part of the Milburngate development, which is soon-to-be-built in Durham city centre. 

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Originally planned as a three-screen cinema, Everyman has confirmed it will now have four screens at the venue off Framwellgate Waterside. 

The cinema will be in competition with a six-screen Odeon cinema, at the newly redeveloped Riverwalk, which opened this summer, and the Durham County Council's cinema at the Gala theatre, on the opposite side of the river. 

Everyman, which has 31 cinemas, opened its first in the North-East in Newcastle in May

Chief executive Crispin Lilly said: “We have been very encouraged by the popularity of our venue in Newcastle and we are confident there will be the same buzz around our boutique cinema at Milburngate. 

"Our venues provide an intimate and attractive space offering a diverse line up of films and events, together with quality food and drink, which guests will be able to enjoy in our expanded Milburngate cinema.” 

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Currently under construction on the banks of the River Wear in the heart of Durham, Milburngate will also feature a mix of premium leisure operators, such as restaurant Miller & Carter, as well as 153 built-to-rent apartments, an office building, One Milburngate, and a 92-bed Premier Inn hotel.

Though it will have an extra screen, the space occupied by the cinema building will be the same as previously planned. 

The Everyman cinema will be a cornerstone of phase one of Milburngate, which is being developed by a joint venture partnership between Arlington Real Estate and Richardson, supported by a £120 million forward funding commitment from LaSalle Investment Management.

The planned Milburngate development in Durham 

Ben Holmes, director on behalf of Richardson, said: “The Everyman team share our vision for Milburngate to become a landmark leisure destination for the North East, and expanding its plans for their Durham boutique cinema is a real endorsement of its commitment to the area and our development.”

Allan Cook, managing director of Arlington Real Estate, said: “The interest in Durham as a social and leisure destination is definitely building, which is evident in Everyman’s decision to increase the number of screens at Milburngate. 

"Their unique approach of offering guests not just a movie but a great night out is growing in popularity across the country and we are delighted that Milburngate will be bringing this to Durham”