New push to re-open cinema | Hawkes Bay News | Local News in Hawkes Bay

Movie operators from around New Zealand have shown interest in taking over the now vacant Hastings cinema in Heretaunga St East.

Hastings Reading Cinemas moved out of the city in January but its lease on the building runs until August this year which gives the owners six months to find a possible replacement operator to keep the flicks showing in the city.

One of the owners, Joanne Edwards, said she had been surprised by the response from people interested in running the cinema.

"Some of them are from outside Hawke's Bay as well as locals. We are in the process of responding to interested parties and in the throws of doing our due diligence," Ms Edwards said.

"The lease doesn't run out until August so nothing will happen until then."

Ms Edwards said Hastings District Council and Hastings City Business Association had been helpful in the search for a new operator.

"It's been very helpful to understand what plans the business association has for the area and the work they're doing in getting high quality tenants.

"It's also critical that we have the council support so when we approach people we can see the council is behind us as well, we're please with their involvement," she said.

Ms Edwards had maintained contact with Reading Cinemas' representative in Wellington.

She hoped a possible new operator would look at a business plan which could be tailored to reflect the unique mix of age groups in Hastings, rather than taking a mainstream approach in terms of what the cinema could offer customers.

"We need to realise there is a mix of people here rather than take a one-size fits all approach," she said.

Ms Edwards said she had been encouraged by comments from the public asking to keep the movie theatre open in Hastings.

"Everyone was just saying what a great loss it was. But we've been very busy over the past couple of weeks to get a good result. It was a bit alarming to start with but I think now it's exciting," she said.