ILKLEY Cinema will open a second screen on Friday, August 31.

The opening is the culmination of 12 months planning and building work to extend into the adjoining first floor space and also extending the outside decking area.

Directly above Walton’s Fine Furnishings shop and backing on to Screen 1, Screen 2 will hold a combination of 41 newly furnished sofas and armchairs. Stylish and intimate, Screen 2 will afford the cinema more flexibility in programming, meaning when distributors put conditions on purchasing films, Ilkley cinema won’t be forced to show a film all day, every day, for several weeks.

The second screen will also cater for over flow to those popular films that in the past have sold out, leaving some unable to get a ticket.

The opening films are The Meg, Christopher Robin, Mamma Mia 2: Here We Go Again, Mission Impossible: Fallout and Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation.

The second screen will allow scope for additional evening shows, longer film runs and also allows scope for modern independent films such as the forthcoming Juliet Naked, The More You Ignore Me, The Children Act and Spitfire as well as showing the big cinema blockbusters.

The cinema will also show additional Event Cinema such as the popular NT Live and Royal Opera House performances which are screened worldwide to cinemas , as well as introducing further Event Cinema such as The Bolshoi Ballet , Exhibition on Screen and Allelujah , the new play from Alan Bennett filmed at London’s Bridge Theatre.

The second screen has a 41 seat capacity and the interiors were once again designed by Bess Sturman, bringing her creative styling to make a unique cinema experience.

The work was designed by Halliday Clark architects and the build was carried out by Dobson Construction, both Ilkley based companies. Four additional jobs have been created and the aim is that the cinema will continue to make a positive and creative contribution to the town.

John Tate, director of Ilkley Cinema added: "We are all really looking forward to having the second screen at Ilkley and the chance to show even more great films. Our aim is that it will continue to be a lovely place for everyone to visit."