FILM fans will have to hang on a little longer to experience Bolton's new town centre cinema — after bosses pushed back the opening date until the end of the summer.

The nine-screen complex being created at the Market Place Shopping Centre is now set to show its first films at the end of August, with work on the complicated project taking longer than at first thought.

It had been hoped that the cinema, which will be run by The Light Cinema Experience, would open at the turn of the year but bosses said the task of creating the complex on top of an fully operational shopping centre has been extremely challenging.

The cinema project forms part of an overall £19 million scheme by Market Place owners the Moorgarth Group to redevelop the centre, including bringing a host of big name restaurants and bars into the now refurbished Victorian vaults which lie beneath the shopping centre.

Last month, Italian restaurant Prezzo and the Great Ale bar were the first to welcome customers in to new units within the vaults complex.

Later this month Chicken giant Nando's will join the party, with Gourmet Burger Kitchen and El Mexicana also confirmed to open venues in the centre later in the year.

Centre bosses had set another provisional date of May for the cinema opening, but have been forced to push it back until the end of the summer.

Market Place manager Nikki Wilson-Cook confirmed this along with other details about the venue, she said: “The cinema is due for completion at the very end of summer all being well and good.

“It will have nine screens, 1200 seats and screen five will be a bigger screen, which will have 450 seats."

The spaces where the screens will be based vary in size because operators The Light will be offering up different viewing experiences — ranging from big-screen blockbusters to world cinema and independent films in a smaller, more intimate setting.

In preparation for its opening the logo of The Light Cinema Experience is now emblazoned across the site.

The formation of a new lift shaft, which will transport visitors in between the cinema, the shopping centre and the restaurants and bars on the ground floor, can also be seen as well as a new foyer area.

David Moroney, project manager for contractors McLaren said: “It has been very interesting working on a project of this scale in a live trading environment with tenants and members of the public here throughout the day — that aspect makes it doubly difficult.

“If we were able to move everyone out it would be quite a simple job but doing it in a live environment represents quite a unique challenge."

On top of restaurants and the cinema the major redevelopment will also house a new play area including an 18-hole crazy golf course, a giant model railway and a climbing area for youngsters.

It will be the second new play area to be created in the town centre, with work progressing well on Bolton Council’s scheme to develop a new facility for children in Octagon Court next to the Lever Chambers Health Centre.