Chichester City Council awards Freedom of the City to cinema founder Roger Gibson

By Sam Tate
Contributor
Published 26th Sep 2023, 13:29 BST
Updated 26th Sep 2023, 13:30 BST
Roger Gibson, Founder of the Chichester Cinema at New ParkRoger Gibson, Founder of the Chichester Cinema at New Park
Roger Gibson, Founder of the Chichester Cinema at New Park
Chichester City Councillors voted unanimously to award the Freedom of the City to Roger Gibson, founder of the Chichester Cinema at New Park at a special meeting held on 20th September.

Mr Gibson was nominated for the Honour by Councillor Clare Apel, who noted that “he was a man with vision”, taking the wreck of the old New Park Centre, saving it from developers and being instrumental in turning it into the home of this award-winning independent cinema.

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His work in developing the internationally significant Chichester Film Festival has drawn awards and recognition to the City from all over the world. Councillor Apel added that Mr Gibson was “extraordinary and held in great respect by filmmakers across the world.”

An official ceremony where Mr Gibson will be entered on to the City Roll of Honour and awarded a Freedom Scroll is being planned for early in the new year, when it is hoped that many of his friends and colleagues from across the Cinema industry will be able to attend.