A CINEMA in the heart of the community is launching a new trial of £5 tickets in order to avoid switching off the projectors for good. 

Lonsdale Alhambra cinema, in Penrith, has struggled with low attendance and rising costs over a difficult winter period creating a situation in which it looked like they could see 'the end of the road'. 

The initiative of low-cost ticket prices hopes to maximise viewing attendance and get 'bums back on seats'. 

Manager Matt Bainbridge said: "The business has been difficult to keep sustainable. It's been a few months of quiet screenings in general, quite often we can have screenings with single-figure admissions. 

"Costs to keep running the building have skyrocketed. 

"The hope is we can turn things around, we didn't want to wait until we've run out of money. 

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"Being in the centre of the community, we felt we have a responsibility to let people know if we're not doing very well," he said. 

Matt said energy costs to run the cinema have not doubled but 'tripled' over recent months. 

Eleven years ago, the premise was threatened with closure but the community rallied together to extend its lease, a similar spirit that has been shown since the cinema made an announcement on Facebook earlier this week. 

"Since we have put that post up, the support has been overwhelming. 

"There's a lot of talk of people coming along, even in the past day we've had people come to support us.

"Always what helps a cinema is bums on seats," Matt said. 

The £5 trial will run over April for all film screenings (except Event Cinema, which the Alhambra can't dictate prices on), with family favourite films on offer for just £2.50 - with the potential of being carried on further. 

This week, some viewings include John Wick 4, Puss in Boots and The Super Mario Brothers.