Two Cockermouth businesses are joining forces to cook up a new spin on Friday nights out on the town.
From this week (Friday, June 4), film fans at the Kirkgate Centre cinema will be able to order in pizzas from nearby Fermento, Market Place, to enjoy before the film in the Kirkgate’s newly spruced up ground floor bar.
From 6 – 7pm, Kirkgate volunteers will act as runners every ten minutes delivering orders of piping hot, fresh-from-the-oven pizzas to customers.
‘Our Friday night films start at 7pm and the bar opens at 6, so we wanted to offer people something new to get the weekend off to a really fun start – no cooking themselves, but having delicious authentic Italian pizzas delivered right to their table with drinks in our stylish bar before the film starts,’ said Emma Heys, the Kirkgate’s Executive Director. ‘Fermento’s handmade pizzas are the real deal and they’re made all of one minute from our front door so together we’re offering something special right here in the Kirkgate Quarter.’
This Friday’s film is one of 2021’s biggest British films, Rocks, for which its young lead Bukky Bakray won this year’s Rising Star BAFTA. ‘It’s a real slice of British life,’ said Emma, ‘a powerful coming of age drama about teenage girls featuring so many excellent young actors.’ Tickets for the screening in the Kirkgate’s Covid-safe auditorium can be booked online at www.kirkgatearts.org.uk where drinks and pizzas can also be ordered for delivery in timed slots between 6 and 7pm. Pizza orders have to be placed by 4pm on Fridays.
The Kirkgate re-opened for film screenings and private hires on May 17 with the help of several local businesses. Said Emma: ‘We are gradually doing up our ground floor spaces to enhance people’s nights out now that lockdown is easing. We’re really grateful to Atkinson’s for their donation of materials for the new bar, and to Ian Winter and Paul Kiggins, the painters and decorators from Mears and Home Group who came in and helped our volunteers give the space a smart new look. Raysons did us a big favour with a very reduced price for deep cleaning our huge carpet.
‘We hope that all these fresh experiences will cheer people up as they return to socialising with us, seeing films and, eventually, coming to live gigs and family theatre again. In the meantime, we’re showing Stevie Nicks’ 24 Karat Gold concert on the big screen on Saturday (June 5), then there’ll be free entry to the England vs Croatia match in the Euros on June 13 (kick off 2pm, doors 1pm). There’s something for everyone, and, from now on, Friday nights will be Film and Fermento night!’