Turnstone Estates is making excellent progress with its exciting new destination and family leisure scheme at the Seaway Car Park in Southend. The Company today announced that the Empire Cinemas multiplex at Seaway Leisure will include an IMAX® screen. The regeneration proposal includes a state-of-the-art 11-screen Empire Cinemas complex with, 1,370 seats complete with Southend’s first IMAX screen. The scheme also includes, a Travelodge Hotel with 80 rooms, ten new restaurants and cafes, two indoor leisure units, a new public square and a multi-storey car park.
The new IMAX screen at Seaway Leisure will offer moviegoers a truly immersive cinematic experience, allowing them to enjoy the biggest blockbusters like never before. IMAX’s cutting-edge projection system, which delivers crystal-clear images, coupled with IMAX’s customized theatre geometry and powerful digital audio, create a unique environment that will make audiences feel as if they are in the movie.
Empire Cinemas is the UK’s leading independently owned cinema chain, catering to a wide-range of cinema- goers and film enthusiasts. Justin Ribbons, CEO of Empire Cinemas said; “We are thrilled to be announcing our continued investment in IMAX® technology as part of our new Southend cinema. The inclusion of IMAX® further reinforces our commitment to providing the most cutting edge, immersive viewing experience for cinema-goers.”
“We congratulate Turnstone Estates on its newest project and are delighted to once again partner with Empire Cinemas to deliver The IMAX Experience, which will transport guests into a film like no other cinema format can,” said Giovanni Dolci, Managing Director, Europe & Africa, IMAX Corporation. “We believe that the IMAX screen at Empire Cinemas will serve as a flagship entertainment attraction that will usher in a new era of immersive movie-going for film fans in Southend.”
Tim Deacon, Director of Turnstone Estates, said, “Our vision of creating a first class destination leisure scheme for everyone in Southend is coming together very well. We are now very close to submitting a full planning application and announcing further exciting leisure and restaurant brands”.
The new Seaway Leisure development is expected to directly create around 450 new jobs, and provide a boost to Southend’s town centre economy. The site is allocated for development in Southend’s draft Central Area Action plan, which sets out the council’s plans for a strong town centre and seafront.
More information about the project can be found by visiting www.seawayleisure.co.uk.