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All talk but no movies

Vic Barlow
20/ 9/2006

AFTER eight years of waiting, Macclesfield town centre developers claim to have lined up a major cinema operator to build a multiplex in a perfect town centre location.

Developers Wilson Bowden have described the proposed site and all the facilities this 'massive eight-screen theatre' will have including bars, car park, offices etc.

The only thing they refuse to reveal is the name of the 'major cinema operator'.

Well, I'm sorry, but we've been down this route before. Our late, great chief executive gave us the same line just before he approved the Chicago Rock Café development. No less a person than the borough's chief planning officer told us we were 'very near a deal' on a cinema complex four years ago (also refusing to identify the developer). The last 'cinema' MBC actually promised us turned into a commercial gym so Wilson Bowden are going to have to try a lot harder.

They are obviously not up to speed on the great cinema scam where various developers use it as bait mixed in with other less tempting plans. (How badly do we need another bar?)

I suggest Wilson Bowden go away and do their homework before they roll out more unsubstantiated cinema 'plans'. It's all been done before.

If I'm proved wrong and an eight-screen multiplex actually appears I'll gladly act as usherette on the opening night.

If not I want to see Messrs Wilson and Bowden posing naked on the town hall steps.

• THE views expressed on this page are those of Vic Barlow and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Express.