Plans for the next phase of the restoration of Ulverston’s Roxy have been revealed.
The Art Deco cinema and community venue was given £500,000 from the Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal to help its owners, the Roxy Collective, restore the 87-year-old building.
The collective bought the cinema in 2023.
Since completing roof repairs and a full building repaint last year, the team said it had been busy planning further improvements behind the scenes.
Suzy Garnett, the collective’s chair, said phase two of the project will focus on rewiring, tackling long-standing heating issues, and transforming the foyer into a warmer, more welcoming space for visitors.
Interior designer Anna Bennett, of Grove Designs, has created an initial concept idea for the foyer renovation.
People got the first look at the plans at an event held recently.
It brought together familiar faces who have supported The Roxy from the start and new supporters keen to get involved.
Suzy said: “We would not be where we are today without the belief and generosity of our community and our funders.
“The Roxy exists for Ulverston, and every step we take is about securing this building for future generations.
“The Roxy Collective remains deeply grateful to everyone who has donated, either directly or through the crowdfunder, as well as to Ulverston Town Council, Ulverston BID, the Department for Levelling Up, Borderlands and Westmorland and Furness Council, and CGP Ltd.
“CGP have, to date, been very modest about their backing, but their support has made a real difference to the speed and scale of progress so far.”
CGP chairman Richard Parsons added: “We’re always keen to support projects that help the local community, so we were pleased to contribute to the Roxy Collective.
“There are plenty of film fans at CGP, and we love having an independent cinema in the area.
“The work they’ve done so far is very impressive – the outside of the building looks great. We’re looking forward to seeing the next phase of the refurbishment.”
