Council sharing car park revenue with Lincoln cinema developers

The City of Lincoln Council is sharing revenues from the Lucy Tower car park with the developers of the Odeon cinema on Brayford Pool.

City Council Leader Ric Metcalfe confirmed the information to The Lincolnite during a weekly Q&A session on the council’s Facebook page.

He confirmed 20% of parking revenues between 6pm to midnight and from midday on Sundays go to the developers of the Odeon Lincoln cinema.

This is part of an agreement between the council and the developers of the building as a long-term incentive to bring the Odeon to the city centre.

Councillor Ric Metcalfe said: “We did enter into an agreement as an incentive to secure the Odeon’s presence in the city centre.

“This has been a big boost to Lincoln’s night-time economy and the agreement only relates to parking between 6pm to midnight and from noon on Sundays.”

— Update on February 6, 2014: The City of Lincoln Council got back in touch to say that the revenue is shared with the developers of the building the cinema is in, and not the cinema chain itself. This story has been edited to reflect that.

The City of Lincoln Council said in a further statement: “The income received, less the costs of providing the service, at Lucy Tower Street car park between 6pm and midnight Monday to Friday and from noon to midnight on Sundays goes to the development company and not the Odeon or any other Brayford business.

“This agreement was reached in 2000 as part of the council’s efforts to regenerate the Brayford waterfront. A cinema was seen as integral to enticing other business to open in this area.”

Cinema move to city centre

The Odeon Lincoln cinema on Brayford Pool

In November 1995, a six-screen Odeon cinema opened on Tritton Road, currently the bowling alley premises.

But in October 2001, the Tritton Road venue closed and was replaced by a nine-screen Odeon on Brayford Wharf, which opened later that month.

Finally in 2003, the Tritton Road premises was converted into a Superbowl 10-pin bowling alley, which still operates now.

Car park back in action

The Lucy Tower car park was built in 1973 and has 458 spaces.

Lucy Tower brings more than £850,000 per year in revenue for the City of Lincoln Council.

Last year the multi-storey car park was closed from March to December 2013 for major structural repairs.

The works cost around £2 million in total, and the council lost around £20,000 per week in parking fees while the car park was closed.

The car park was partially opened early for the Lincoln Christmas Market since December, and to finalise the work overnight closures are in place until February 20.

Expensive cinema

The Lincoln Odeon cinema remains one of the most expensive cinemas in the region, with a regular adult ticket costing £8.70 for a 2D film, or £10.70 for a 3D screening.

The Odeon in Hull charges £7.50 for 2D screenings and £9.50 for 3D.

Odeon Sheffield charges £8.20 for 2D and £10.20 for 3D screenings, while Odeon Newark charges £7.95 for 2D and £9.95 for 3D.

The Vue cinema in Scunthorpe charges £6.40 off-peak and £7.55 at peak times, with an extra £2 for 3D screenings.

According to WhatPrice.co.uk, the average price of a cinema ticket in the Midlands is under £5.50.