Horsham's Capitol sets out its plans for the future

They have been offering films since mid-July and have just started to offer a smattering of live events.

The key thing is simply to let people know that they are open, says operations manager Matthew Effemey – and also to spread the word that it is perfectly safe to set foot inside.

It’s an important message as the venue builds towards its Christmas season.

There won’t be panto this year, but importantly the Capitol will be offering two festive shows even in these difficult times – A Christmas Carol and, for younger audiences and families, Santa’s New Sleigh.

“We are just trying to remind people that we are still here,” Matthew said: “We opened on July 17, a couple of weeks after venues were allowed to open, but the film product since then has been a bit hit and miss, to be honest. New films are just not being released at the moment, so really we are just trying to convince people that they should come and watch some of their favourite films.

“We are trying to put on classics and some smaller new releases.

“There are some newer films coming out, some of which were filmed in Sussex (for instance Carmilla which will be screened on October 16).

“We have been running films every day seven days a week, and we are very lucky that we have got such a big auditorium. It is very easy to socially distance. People are cautious. Understandably so. I wouldn’t knock them for that at all.”

As Matthew says, there was an industry survey which concluded that only 23 per cent of people would be comfortable sitting in a cinema.

“It is pretty low, and I think that explains why cinemas all over the country are getting lower numbers. But we are trying to reassure people that it is safe. We have got all the measures in place. We have got a big auditorium. We have got hand sanitisers. We have got a one-way system.”

The difficulty is getting people in in the first place; encouragingly once people have come a first time, they tend to come back again.

Matthew has reduced capacity in the main auditorium from 400 to abut 60 and in the two studios from 180 to 45 and from 80 to 20.

“Obviously the finances aren’t great, but the council have been really, really supportive.

“They are really behind us just getting through this tricky period and then hoping that in the future we can make up for lost time by developing a slightly different offer to what we have had before, perhaps a more exciting and varied programme, a greater variety of productions.

“It is just about getting through this stage.”

Matthew and the team managed during lockdown to improve the look of the venue, spending very little money by freshening it up themselves – and he is pleased with the results.

“It was more a labour of love, to be honest, but the place is looking much better, and we are having good feedback from the public. I think once people get here, they can see how safe it is. We have lowered our prices; we have freshened the place up; and we have got all the safety measures in place.”

Part of the frustration is the limited product out there. For instance, the Capitol was looking forward to showing, this October, the new Kenneth Branagh Hercule Poirot film Death On The Nile. The release was suddenly put back until December.

Against that, though, there have been some unexpected pleasures – the success of the lower-key film The Man In The Hat which did really well.

“We have just got to be flexible and do what we can. We have just got to react to what is happening.”

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