UNLESS you have been in hiding in recent weeks, you will be aware that Bolton town centre has a sparkling new nine-screen cinema.

The new venue, operated by The Light, officially opened its doors on Friday and reporter and film fan Liam Thorp was lucky enough to be invited along to check out what it has to offer — and catch one of the first big titles being screened.

REGULAR readers will know that, at The Bolton News, we have been excited about our new town centre cinema for some time.

This is because we are big believers in the potential the town centre has and we try where we can to promote the work being done to revitalise the economic heart of the Bolton.

It is also because our office is based in the town centre, and we won’t have to walk very far to catch the latest releases when they arrive (which will also keep us out of the pub, a bit.)

I have followed the progress of this development and the wider regeneration of the Market Place Shopping Centre from its outset.

There have been countless hard-hat wearing visits to construction sites and tours of areas that looked, at the time, a little like the aftermath of some sort of explosion.

I must confess, there were a few times when I questioned the practicalities of building a huge cinema complex on top of a fully operational shopping centre — I wondered if it could really be done.

Yes there have been a few delays along the way, but that is very often the case with projects of this scale.

As I rode the elevator towards the dramatic new entrance for the cinema on its opening night on Friday, I could see the vision that had been explained to me by Market Place bosses several years ago.

This is not your average cinema.

Huge artistic wall murals depict heroic movie characters, while the rough finish applied to much of the furniture and fittings give a stylish nod to Bolton’s industrial heritage.

The bar area could work as a standalone venue, with a good range of interesting seating areas to enjoy a quick pint before heading into a screen.

I was particularly buoyed to hear that I could take my beer in with me.

The staff were extremely helpful and friendly, from manager Jamie to till operator Mo, you could see everyone was buzzing to be involved and wanted to make me and all the other customers feel part of that atmosphere.

I had been invited to see major new release The Girl on the Train and had persuaded my girl to get on a train (my partner joined from Manchester) for the screening.

The film itself is an enjoyable, twisting thriller starring Emily Blunt and Justin Theroux and I was very content to be enjoying the numerous thrills and spills while sat in a tremendously comfortable seat with ample room to store my booze (always important).

Journalists can sometimes be accused of plugging new businesses just for the sake of it (or for a freebie), but The Light at Bolton Market Place is the real deal.

Great staff, a really stylish and impressive layout, comfy surroundings and a good selection of films — not a bad way to spend an evening if you ask me.