New market breathes life into former Regent Cinema building in Downham Market
A new market based in a former Downham cinema selling food and crafts, among other produce, hopes to bring more people into the town.
Regent Market, which will be held in the historic Regent Cinema building on High Street, is set to open its doors to customers on Thursday.
Jackie Mackenzie, who will run the market, said: “We want to bring some more life into the town.”
She said the idea came about because she is friends with the person who owns the building, and he suggested she run the market.
Mrs Mackenzie, of Shouldham, said they had commented a few years ago that it would be a shame to leave the building empty, after the former antiques emporium held there shut a number of years ago.
“They have markets like this in quite a few places and they seem to be bringing some more people in to the towns,” she added.
“It should be quite good.”
The aim is to create a permanent market in the former cinema with pitches there for a variety of stalls to offer businesses the opportunity to sell their products.
The market will be held on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 10am to 3pm.
It opens for the first time this Thursday with around 18 different stalls across the ground floor.
Mrs Mackenzie also owns and runs a nail salon, Oh So Pretty Nails, on Market Place with her daughter.
Regent Cinema has been a part of the town’s High Street for nine decades, having been built in 1928.
The venue entertained audiences in the town with a variety of films for almost half a century before it closed its doors to patrons in 1976, and has now been empty for a number of years.
In April 2015, the Lynn News reported on plans to convert the building back into a three-screen cinema, along with a wine bar.
A design and access statement for the proposals, which were given the green light by West Norfolk Council later on in 2015, said the total seating across all three screens would have been 174.
The proposals had been welcomed by officials and residents, but now it is hoped the new market will be greeted by a similarly positive reaction.
Contact Mrs Mackenzie for market-related enquiries on jack.1cinema@gmail.com or 07747 674225.
