I think that Armidale is very fortunate to have the Belgrave Cinema. Its location is very central to the town and the Ex-Services Club. The staff and their service to the public are terrific. The Belgrave deserves all the help it can be given.
May I suggest three ways in which it could be more enhanced and of assistance to the citizens of our city who might also need some of that help. For a long time now, there have not been any comfortable lounges for the public to use while waiting for others to join them or the theatre to open. Older more frail people have had to either stand or wait in the coffee shop at tables and chairs. Neither option is very comfortable.
The payphone was also taken out a long time ago and replaced. Yes, I know that mobile phones are now the way to go, but there are people who have their own reasons for not using them. A payphone should be made available for those people who prefer to use cash to ring for a taxi at the end of a show or a significant other for help of any kind.
I would like to see a greater variety of movies on at the Belgrave Theatre. Many movies are shown in Sydney which never see the light of day at the Belgrave. If you do not want to travel great distances to see a movie, then the other option is to wait for some months before renting it from an outlet which stocks DVDs and videos.
Whatever future direction is planned for the Belgrave Theatre, I hope that it will be a very positive development not only for the Belgrave and the Servies but the people who live here and love it and the visitors from all walks of life who will enjoy visiting our wonderful rural city and spread the good word about it.
Louise Korff,
Armidale
