'They said it'll never happen, now we're a vital part of the local community'

A cinema that many claimed "would never happen" is now heralded as one of region's top entertainment venues, filling the local community with pride.

The beloved Bijou cinema in Southport was born from the dream of movie enthusiast Michael Lockwood. He envisioned his own cinema and drew inspiration for the name 'Bijou' from The Bijou Movie Theatre of Bedford Falls in the 1946 perennial classic It's A Wonderful Life - an all-time favourite of Michael's.

Michael invested years into manifesting this idea, laying the groundwork in 2009. Later on, in 2016, current manager Andy Harrison joined, and together they flung open the doors of the Bijou in October 2019.

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Reflecting back, Andy shared: "Back before I joined the team, people would talk about it and say, 'There's meant to be a cinema coming, but it'll never happen.' [Michael] was keen to spread the word. I said, 'Right, we're setting a date, and that's the date we're opening'.

"Even before the day we opened, we were still painting and getting stuff ready."

Michael, who sadly passed away in 2021, found immense satisfaction in realising his dream of creating successful Bijou, the ECHO reports. Today, Andy continues to honour Michael's legacy: "[Michael] was just happy that he had achieved his goal and got to see its success. Everything we do, we consider what he would have wanted."

In recognition of their exceptional quality, Bijou Cinema won the Entertainment Venue of the Year title at the Southport BID Stars Awards. Additionally, it's landed a spot among the top ten Hidden Gems in the Liverpool City Region Tourism Awards in 2023.

The Bijou cinema is more than just a movie theatre; it's a hub for various community activities, including a choir and a theatre group. Andy, the owner, is proud of the strong support base they've built, saying, "We've built this group of supporters and it feels like it is a place that people enjoy."

Not only does the Bijou screen the latest releases, but it also boasts an extensive collection of classic films, with thousands of discs in its archive. The cinema encourages audience participation through a film suggestion board located in the main lobby, where patrons can request their favourite classics to be shown, enhancing the venue's community feel.

In an era dominated by streaming platforms and facing stiff competition from major chains like VUE and Odeon, Andy is determined for the Bijou to "find its niche" by catering to what audiences are eager to see.

Andy emphasises the importance of the cinematic experience, stating, "The cinema is how a lot of films were meant to be seen. Quite often, it comes down to us to keep these films alive."

You can watch the full interview with Michael in the video above. You can find the Bijou on instagram at @southportbijou.