A COMMUNITY cinema which launched last year has undergone a major revamp to bring an affordable film experience right to "the heart of the community".

The Star reported last autumn when the former Unitarian Church on Corporation Street launched film screenings as a community picture house.

And the venue has since undergone a major renovation, with a new screen, seats, lighting, projector and decorations to offer an "atmospheric" cinematic experience thanks to the hard efforts of a team of around eight volunteers.

Renamed Lucem House to add a St Helens flavour, the venue is also available for community groups to use with rehearsal space and meeting rooms available for hire.

The venue has a 35mm film reel outside its entrance and there are plans for an advertising board outside the YMCA former cinema building.

"This is all about putting back into the heart of the community," said operations director Paul Jones.

"All we want to do is get word out now that there is a community cinema. It is £5 for the public and £4 for children and concessions.

"We've done all of this from scratch, all we had was the building from the YMCA who are heavily supporting us.

"And we've have brought Lucem back into St Helens again," added Paul, 43.

"There's got a big projector and a new 14 by eight feet screen. And we are trying to raise money for lift machinery to put in a disabled ramp. We don't want to exclude, we want disabled people to come and use it."

The venue is about to launch its new film season and is to screen a raft of 'golden oldies' during the upcoming heritage weekend.

"We're going to put films on that people will remember. They can come in for free and they will be on a loop including My Fair Lady, South Pacific and Calamity Jane. We're looking forward to that."

The heritage weekend screenings will take place from 11am on Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 and the next season of films will be announced soon.

See lucemhouse.co.uk for more.