THE Dunfermline Cinema Project is hoping to reel film fans in by the end of the year.

Good progress was being made when they had hopes for a summer opening but that was brought to a halt when lockdown measures were put in place in March.

The project reached an agreement with the Alhambra Theatre Trust early this year to bring the big screen to the town's Ironmongers Studio on New Row.

Graeme Spence, of the project, told the Press this week that their goal now is to welcome cinemagoers by the end of 2020, but will only do so when the time is right.

He said: "We're working with the Alhambra and preparing for the 'new normal', but we're hopeful that we'll be able to open and to start showing movies this year.

"That's our goal.

"How that will look, we don't know yet, it's too early to say.

"We've kept up discussions through lockdown with the Alhambra and both parties are still eager to go ahead.

"Prior to lockdown, I'd say we were only maybe 60 or 90 days away from starting, so that was disappointing.

"You can't be frustrated though. There's nothing to be down about because we'll get there.

"We've not lost any funding because we had no outgoings, so it's all on pause until there's concrete guidelines in place on how we can operate.

"There's also no point in rushing back if people aren't comfortable.

"It would flop if we were to rush things.

"I feel that you're better waiting and being prepared than to be too eager to open.

"We want people to come here when they're comfortable and you want them to have a great first experience."

The cinema project was formed by volunteers who were determined to open a community cinema in the town centre after our Press campaign Press, Take, Action! discovered the Odeon at Fife Leisure Park was the most expensive in Scotland.

And, after a deal fell through for an empty unit up the road, the trust stepped forward to offer the project a new venue for their cinema.