January 18, 2012 4.40 pm This story is over 146 months old

Work begins to restore Lincoln’s Ritz cinema

Project update: OTB will keep you updated on the Ritz cinema project with weekly write-ups on The Lincolnite, and this is the first of them.

— Off The Bench, a Lincoln-based voluntary organisation, have set out to bring back the Ritz cinema to its former glory. In the first instalment of their weekly updates on the project, OTB’s Michael Skinner recaps the latest developments.

It’s been just over a week and the project is already moving at a lightning quick pace, but we’re under no illusions about the size of the task on our hands.

The support we’ve received has reinforced our belief more than ever that it can be achieved. Overwhelming backing for the project has flooded in with over 150 people now part of the volunteering database. The Ritz has even received support from Westminster via a site visit from Lincoln MP Karl McCartney.

Having just had the plans finalised by SRS Builders on Wednesday, physical activity can now begin, and this is where the hard work really starts!

At the start of next week, the OTB team will begin the initial clearing out of the venue. We expect a lot of sore backs and joints from this, so all help is appreciated.

This week we have also been busy launching our Sponsor-a-seat appeal. This is so that members of the community can actually get their very own seat within the cinema for a whole year.

The cost is only £100 and all the money goes towards covering the installation of the seat. For those Ritz ‘nostalgiacs’ amongst you, you also receive a Your Memory plaque on the back of the seat, hopefully not as stomach churning as our very own Pete’s first kiss reference.

We’re also in the process of organising a public drop-in meeting for people who want to get involved.

It will be a great chance for people to drop by and put faces to names and meet the OTB team. We’re a friendly bunch so don’t be afraid to come along. The date and venue of this will be confirmed in next week’s update, so make sure to check back.

For more information and regular updates ‘Like’ Off The Bench CIC on Facebook, or for details on the Sponsor-a-seat appeal or an application form, contact OTB via email.

Photo by Dominic Clark for The Lincolnite

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