Crystal Peaks: More details revealed on cinema's return to Sheffield shopping centre after 21-year absence

A new cinema is being planned for the Crystal Peaks shopping centre in Sheffield – more than two decades after its last one closed its doors.
Shopping centre bosses have submitted an outline planning application to Sheffield City Council to turn two currently vacant units into a new four-screen cinema split across two floors.

The name of the cinema operator involved has not been published but they have been described in the planning application as an “established independent cinema operator… looking to expand their presence in the UK market and have identified Crystal Peaks as an attractive and exciting opportunity.”

Crystal Peaks was originally home to a 10-screen AMC and then UCI multiplex-style cinema, which opened in 1988 and which, in August 1997, was chosen for the star-studded world premiere of Sheffield-made film comedy The Full Monty.

But the cinema closed in 2003 and the site was redeveloped in 2005 by supermarket giant Sainsbury’s.

While the previous cinema had seats for hundreds of customers per screen, the proposed one would be a smaller ‘boutique’ size with the largest screen capable of seating 71 people. It is expected to employ the equivalent of 12 full-time workers.

Centre manager Lee Greenwood said: “One of the questions we are most often asked by visitors is when cinema will be returning to Crystal Peaks.

“We have been exploring the possibility of bringing cinema back for quite a long time now and believe we now have a project that will meet the needs of all our customers.

“We have already had extremely encouraging pre-planning conversations with planning officers and are confident that the scheme will meet the requirement of Sheffield Council’s Planning Committee.

“We currently have a cinema operator lined up, with detailed plans drawn-up and are hopeful that work will begin before the end of this year, with the development scheduled to open by next spring.

“This will be a more intimate boutique-style cinema, perfect for the Crystal Peaks family audience and will make excellent use of available space within the complex.

“The show timings will be tailored to provide a broad range of film choice from mid-week vintage showings to family mornings as well as the latest blockbusters.”

A public consultation on the application is open until September 10, with a council decision expected in October.