March 16, 2018 4.38 pm This story is over 72 months old

Councillors set to approve boutique cinema and rooftop restaurant in Lincoln

Would you welcome the new cinema?
Designs for the new Everyman Cinema in the Cornhill Quarter.

Plans for an independent Everyman boutique cinema and rooftop restaurant as part of the redevelopment of Sincil Street are recommended to be approved by councillors next week.

Councillors on City of Lincoln Council’s Planning Committee are expected to give the green light to the next stage of Lincolnshire Co-op’s £70 million Lincoln Cornhill Quarter regeneration project.

Everyman Cinema, which has over 20 cinemas across the country, revealed at the end of November 2017 that it would be coming to Lincoln.

The new cinema would be located opposite the newly refurbished Corn Exchange building, and will face onto Exchange Square.

It would feature comfy sofa seating, a private screening lounge available to hire and a bar selling wines and hand-rolled pizzas.

Shops, national restaurants and other leisure and financial services are proposed to move into the building.

If approved, the development could open by Autumn 2019.

Lincolnshire Co-op hopes the proposed new building will attract national retailers to help Lincoln compete with larger shopping destinations in the East Midlands such as Nottingham.

Ursula Lidbetter, CEO of the co-op, said that the cinema would enhance the city centre and contribute to an enhanced night-time economy.

Crispin Lilly, CEO of Everyman Cinema, said: “We’re looking forward to coming to Lincoln.

“It is such a vibrant city with an incredible heritage and we are proud to become a part of the Cornhill Quarter.”

1-4 Cornhill Pavements and 7-8 Sincil Street built in the 1980s will be demolished as part of the scheme, with the frontage of the new building pushed back to give visitors a full view along Sincil Street.

The council considers the buildings to have little architectural merit and also do not contribute to the visual amenity of the area.

Councillors have been encouraged by officers to grant approval, with the development described in a report as “crucial to the creation of a public square within the area and improving visual links with High Street”.

The Planning Committee will decide on the proposals at a meeting in Lincoln on Thursday, March 22.