THE curtain is set to rise on a community cinema for north Bournemouth thanks to a National Lottery grant.

The Big Lottery Fund’s Awards for All Scheme is to hand out £7,400 to create a cinema, aimed initially at elderly people, in West Howe.

It will be run at the Henry Brown Centre in West Howe and could be up and running by the autumn.

Kinson South ward councillor Roger Marley, who was formerly manager of the town’s ABC cinema in Westover Road, has been spearheading the scheme.

“It will be the first time Bournemouth has had a community cinema,” he said.

“The money is to help towards the purchase of the equipment. We’re at first going to start showing films to elderly residents in West Howe to make their lives better.

“If the cinema is successful, then we’ll move on to engage with other residents of West Howe.”

Organisers of the initiative will use the money to buy a Blu-ray projector with good quality sound.

He suggested the cinema could show classics like Brief Encounter as well as more recent releases such as Quartet or The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel.

Cllr Marley said: “We might come across some really nice classic films to start it off with.

“To achieve something like this, not only as a ward councillor but as a person who has spent his whole life in the cinema industry, is great. I hope it will be a rewarding experience for these retired people.”

He saluted the town’s 2026 Partnership for providing initial funding of around £7,000. “It’s great there’s a grant from the Big Lottery which means we can move on,” he added.