THE curtain is rising to usher in a new mecca for Bury moviegoers.

And the red carpet is already rolled out for a glittering gala event which will herald the opening of the new 10-screen Vue cinema.

The complex, at the heart of the new Rock development, will open its doors with an advance screening of Toy Story 3 tonight. Around 300 guests have been invited, including Bury’s mayor, Cllr John Byrne, who will open the new cinema by cutting a film reel!

Vue will be open to members of the public from 11am tomorrow.

Last night, the Vue cinema at Pilsworth closed its doors for the last time. Having opened as a Warner Bros complex in 1989, it has seen more than 15 million filmgoers pass through its doors.

Commenting on the new cinema, manager Miss Sharon Harris said: “We have recruited 20 new members of staff which will bring the number in Bury to 60. It’s a very exciting time for us.”

The 10-screen Vue has a capacity for a 1,700-strong audience and brings the latest in cinema technology to Bury, currently only used at Westfield in London which opened five months ago, and also includes a super-sized VueXtreme screen, Miss Harris has been manager of Bury’s Vue cinema for the past three years and has been with the company for 14 years.

She added: “This is really a fantastic new place and I’m positive the people of Bury are going to love it too.”