A Major Merlin Adventure (30 years in the making)

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Merlin Cinemas have been a part of my life for 30 years. At college in 1992 I visited the Savoy for the first time then in early 1993, at the Royal in St Ives, my now wife asked me to go out with her (at a showing of Home Alone 2!)

Since then the group has steadily and gradually expanded, remaining independant and South West based but now encompassing 6 theatres in Cornwall, 5 in Devon, and 1 in Somerset, Gloucestershire, Wales, Scotland and Norfolk. 

The cinemas themselves have the support that a small chain gives, but retain the independant feel and nature. The atmosphere in the foyers is one of community, the staff are there to enable customers to be entertained and thrilled in equal measure and at opposite ends of the spectrum you have top of the range sound and vison alongside the traditional usher, taking you to your seat. They also combine the history and quality of the traditional buildings along with plush renovations inside. And who is the target audience for them? Anyone who loves film, wants an evening out, has never been before, making an annual visit, wanting a live theatre performance, keeping the kids quiet, reliving a misspent youth.... In short anyone and everyone. It's the one thing that has outright surprised me in the 6 months I have worked there, the variety of people who come to watch and the absolute best part of the job is seeing them come out of a screening, smiling enthused and satisfied that for the last two hours they have inhabited a different world. 

After College I moved back to the Isles Of Scilly, limiting what I could do in terms of going to the Flix, but when I could, I would head for the mainland and fit in two, three or even four films in a day. And what a pleasure it was to see the Savoy redeveloped in the early 90's and then again, just a few years ago....

Merlin Cinemas cater for over 120,000 people in Cornwall alone, over their six sites. Screens, Restaurants, Bars and a Theatre across the country and each one still giving the personal touch and keeping the traditions and passions of cinema alive.