STAFF at a market town cinema celebrated turning their under-threat picture house into a success story this week.

The once ailing Ritz in Thirsk is doing a roaring trade. Audience numbers have risen by 60pc in five years, with an 18pc rise this year alone.

The cinema was saved from closure five years ago when it was taken over by a committee of volunteers. Since then the number of movie-goers has been steadily rising as Thirsk residents shun the multiplexes in favour of their local one-screen venue.

"It is down to having a pretty loyal audience," said Ritz spokesman Mr Mark Davies. "People come back and tell their friends, who then start coming as well. We bucked the trend last year when cinemas were predicting an overall downturn in audience numbers and ours rose by nearly 20 pc."

While the Ritz can't outgun the big boys in terms of choice, the fact that it is run entirely by a team of 60 volunteers gives the venture a different perspective. "We still see ourselves as putting something back into the fabric of the community," said Mr Davies. "It is not just about showing films and making money."