£30,000 has been raised for Tyneside Cinema amid coronavirus closure fears

Earlier this month much-loved Tyneside Cinema announced that they may have to close permanently due to the impact Covoid-19.

Tyneside Cinema is just one of the many services that have had to close in the wake of the pandemic, with cities all around the country starting to look like ghost towns; however many independent companies will receive funding from the Government to help support them. For some companies, this funding will not be sufficient for them to be able to re-open.

On their Facebook page, Tyneside Cinema wrote of their worries. The statement read: “As an independent charity, which only receives 6% in public funding, this latest closure will continue to have considerable financial implications for us.”

Tyneside Cinema launched a campaign, #myTynesideCinema, in order to try and raise extra funds to support a re-opening. The campaign suggests making a donation on their website or by purchasing a gift voucher, to be used at a later date. There was also an option to donate via text, by texting TYNESIDE 5 to donate £5, TYNESIDE 10 to donate £10, or TYNESIDE 20 to donate £20 to 70085.

The campaign took off, with people taking to social media to share the campaign and rally for donations.

The cinema received an outstanding response, with almost £30,000 raised within the first 72 hours of the campaign being launched, which is not surprising considering their status as a firm-favourite in the city – loved by students and locals alike.  The cinema issued the following statement on its Facebook page, expressing their immense gratitude:

“We launched the #myTynesideCinema Appeal because of the immediate and deep impact the Covoid-19 health emergency had on the cinema. We’ve been overwhelmed with the warmth and generosity of your response, which raised almost £30,000 in the first 72 hours, and we’re grateful for every single donation.

“Tyneside Cinema is a cultural icon for our city, and our community, and this appeal will help us secure its future.”

The cinema added: “The appeal is one in a jigsaw of support. We’re making use of all other avenues available to us, including Government schemes, support trusts, and foundations, and we are grateful for the flexibility that our funders at Arts Council England and the British Film Institute have shown us”.

Despite the astounding response from the general public, Tyneside Cinema is still asking for donations. They have issued a video from their CEO, Holli Keeble, which is available on their Facebook page.

Featured image credit: @simon.fromthesmithsphotography