ONE of the district’s leading arts and entertainment venues received an early Christmas present to the tune of nearly £1000,000.

Forum Cinema in Hexham was awarded £98,902 in funding from the government’s culture recovery fund after a successful application earlier this year.

The funding comes as a lifeline for the cinema as it continues to experience months of closure and uncertainty.

Reacting to news of the government grant, David Nixon, cinema manager at Forum Hexham, said: "We are extremely grateful to receive support from the Cultural Recovery Fund during this difficult time.

“This essential support helps secure our future so that we can continue to bring the best films to Hexham and engage with every sector of our community, once we are able to reopen and throughout 2021.

“We can’t wait to reopen our doors and welcome you all back as soon as we’re able to, but in the meantime we hope you have a happy and healthy Christmas and New Year.”

Earlier this year, the cinema turned its attention to the small screen, to continue to engage with audiences, far and wide, during the lockdown, with new, virtual at-home screenings.

So far, 202 cinemas have received funding from a £30 million pot allocated by the British Film Institute (BFI), on behalf of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, as part of the biggest investment in this country’s cultural sector.

Eligible cinemas were able to apply for safety grants, to help venues meet the immediate costs of implementing Covid-secure measures to protect staff and audiences, and larger business sustainability grants to help stabilise sites financially.

Ben Roberts, chief executive of BFI, said the funding will allow many cinemas to survive the coronavirus pandemic, and will "play a vital role in the recovery of local economies and communities, bringing people together to offer joy, solace and the magic of the big screen.”

Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said the funding will help keep the country's cinemas at the forefront of the creative industries.

He said: “The magic of film is such an important part of the festive period and this investment will help protect our independent cinemas for many Christmases to come."