New cinema set to open in May

A new cinema is set to open in May, replacing a former Cineworld.

An Odeon Luxe will operate from Sixfields Leisure in Weedon Road, Northampton.

According to its website, an Odeon Luxe has "fully-reclining seats that have three times the standard legroom and more personal space".

There are also built-in tables, 4K screens and the latest audio technology to "experience films the way they were meant to be seen".

The Cineworld closure on 19 January was part of a wider shake-up within the Cineworld group, which saw six locations shut as landlords opted to reclaim the properties during the company's restructuring process.

An Odeon spokesperson previously stated: "We are excited to open our newly refurbished cinema in Northampton later in the year and welcome guests through our doors."

A petition to keep the Cineworld open attracted more than 800 signatures, with locals describing the closure as "another important staple of our town being taken away".

At the time, a Cineworld spokesperson said: "We're humbled by the loyalty of our Northampton customers and understand the affection they have for Cineworld Sixfields."

A separate petition to save the Odeon in Kettering gathered over 2,000 signatures, but the site was approved for demolition by North Northamptonshire Council.

Among the first films expected to screen at the new Odeon Luxe are the latest instalment of the Mission: Impossible franchise and a live-action adaptation of Lilo & Stitch.

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