AN upmarket cinema chain has announced it will be opening its first screen in Lancashire next month.

Earlier this year the Lancashire Telegraph revealed that Everyman would be making its first foray into the county at Holmes Mill, in Clitheroe.

And now it has been confirmed that the operator will put on showings at the Ribble Valley venue from Friday, October 18.

The Clitheroe opening is one of four pencilled in for 2019 by Everyman, accompanying new ventures in Manchester, Plymouth and Northallerton.

Bosses at the Holmes Mill complex, which has expanded in recent times from its beer hall beginnings to offer a hotel and food emporium, have welcomed the development.

James Warburton, proprietor of James Places, which also runs the likes of Mitton Hall, Eaves Hall and a string of valley hostelries, believes that the announcement can only benefit the wider borough.

He said: “We are absolutely delighted to welcome Everyman Cinema to Holmes Mill. The opening has been eagerly anticipated by customers and staff alike. 'When’s the cinema opening?' has been an hourly rather than a daily question.

“Everyman is famed for the quality of their offer, from the design and decor of the cinema to the sound and vision and to the selection and timing of the movies on show. They really are the perfect partner for the other businesses at Holmes Mill. They will be a natural companion to the Food Hall, the Beer Hall and to the Hotel, Bar and Grill.

“We expect the new cinema to bring ever more people to Clitheroe and we would love them to explore the town and the wider Ribble Valley as they visit more frequently.”

Cinema bosses also applied for a 2am licence for the site.