Helios Properties plc - Leisure Development - Sunderland, Sunniside

Date: 30 Jun 2003

Development work began today to construct the first multiplex cinema in Sunderland and was marked with a special ceremony attended by Bob Symonds, Leader of Council for Sunderland City Council.

Sunderland is currently the largest UK city without a cinema but the new £18 million scheme, known as the Prospect leisure scheme, will provide a Cine-World 12-screen cinema with 2,200 seats and two private viewing suites.

The ceremony involved an introduction from Trevor Cartner of Helios Properties and Bob Symonds starting up the first digger on the site to begin work.

The development totals 11,612 sq m (125,000 sq ft) and will also include a 1,858 sq m (20,000 sq ft) Gala Casino and a 372 sq m (4,000 sq ft) Frankie & Benny’s restaurant at the city centre site. The remaining 4,180.5 sq m (45,000 sq ft) will be divided up between three restaurants, bars and a nightclub. A 650 space multi-storey car park will also be built as part of the development.

Bob Symonds comments: “It’s wonderful to see work starting on the new multiplex. Having a cinema in the city means a great deal to the people of Sunderland and I hope they will be delighted with the end result when it opens next summer.

“The council has worked with Helios over a number of years to ensure that this flagship development could go ahead. We believe the start of work on the new cinema will act as a major boost to the ongoing regeneration of Sunniside and the wider city centre.”

Trevor Cartner from Helios, comments: “I’m delighted that we have now started work on site. The City deserves a first class multiplex facility and after a lot of hard work by the City Council and ourselves we can finally deliver a scheme to be proud of.”

King Sturge and Rapleys are the joint letting agents.

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