Restoration works to a 1930s cinema in Aberfeldy, Perthshire, have been completed.

The project took seven years to complete at a cost of £1.3m, the BBC has reported.

Now finished, the Birks Cinema will open its doors to the public – more than 30 years after it closed down.

The cinema was opened in 1939 and was designed to "promote happiness for the people of the town and attract visitors for the neighbouring countryside."

However, in the 1970s, it fell in decline and closed in 1982. It was then turned into an amusement arcade before it also closed in 2004.

The new state-of-the-art facilities includes a 100-seat cinema and will be able to show 3D films and screen the latest Hollywood releases as well as classic movies. It also includes a cafe and bar and will act as a venue for other uses, such as the screening of live sporting and cultural events from around the world.


The management team of Birks Cinema hope to show live broadcasts of the Met Opera, the Bolshoi ballet and other cultural events such as interactive exhibitions from the British Museum.

The area's MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Employment and Sustainable Growth John Swinney, said: "This day has been long awaited and really drives home what community team work can achieve.

"I'm honoured to be first in line to buy tickets for my local cinema and very proud to see The Birks Cinema restored, resplendent and fully operational once again.

"Moreover, I am excited about the role the cinema will now play in the local community as an employer, as a creative inspiration, and as an asset to Aberfeldy and the Highland Perthshire area for both residents and visitors alike."

The renovation project has been led by local group, the Friends of the Birks Cinema.

Eight people will be employed at the new cinema.

(JP/CD)