A new cinema – which will boast the largest screen in Essex – is less than 12 months away from opening in Basildon.

The new venue will form part of the East Square regeneration scheme put forward by Basildon Council.

A £25m leisure development, as well as bars and restaurants, will also be built on the site to provide plenty of new facilities in Basildon town centre.

So here is everything we know about the new Cinema:

When will it open?

Bosses announced earlier this year that the cinema will open to the public in February 2022 – in time for the school half-term.

Cinema firm Empire will be handed the keys to the site in July, despite the pandemic causing some delays to construction work.

What will the cinema offer?

The building itself will contain 10 different screens, one of which is expected to be the largest in Essex.

The venue itself will also be Empire’s largest outside London.

There will be capacity for up to 500 people inside the cinema.

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Ticket prices will vary, but Empire generally charges £7 for adult tickets to screenings on Monday to Thursday, and £8 Friday to Sunday.

Family tickets and concessions are also available.

Other add-ons offered by Empire include 3D screenings, recliner seats and even sofas for group bookings.

What’s the latest on the development?

Basildon Council leader Andrew Baggott was given a tour of the new cinema earlier this week.

It is understood the construction remains on course to be completed this summer.

After his visit, Mr Baggott, said: "The progress on this scheme is exciting and the cinema and restaurants will breathe new life into this part of the town centre.

Echo:

"We want East Square to become a real destination of choice for our residents, and this complex will be a place where residents can do more than just shop.

"They can spend the day and the evening here; shopping, dining, and seeing the latest films.

“Basildon is open for business, and this transformative development that will bring a new night-time economy to the town centre, will play a major part in an exciting vision for its future."