FALMOUTH'S new cinema welcomed more than 2,000 paying customers over its first weekend, but it was a project that almost didn't happen.

At the gala opening of The Phoenix last week, Geoff Greaves, director of Merlin Cinemas, said: "I really feel tonight that we have got to the end of mission impossible and we have done it without the help of Tom Cruise.

Opposition

"There was a considerable amount of opposition for the conversion of this semi-derelict Drill Hall to a cinema.

"There were many times when I nearly stopped this project because it was so difficult to get off the ground."

As a Grade II-listed building, the conversion of the former Drill Hall in Berkeley Vale threw up many challenges, both in its internal design and its external aesthetics.

Contractors had been working right up to the last minute to complete the transformation from derelict building to state-of-the-art five screen cinema.

That transformation was praised by Falmouth's mayor, Mike Varney, who officially opened the Phoenix by cutting a film reel.

"We have a tenth of the Cornish population within a five mile radius of where we are standing and we have not had a cinema for donkeys' years, which is pathetic," he said.

"Then, someone like Merlin Cinemas came along and what we wanted to do was bite their hand off.

"We are a town that is moving forward and we are going to do that by working together and it's when you get a developer that is prepared to put his neck on the line that you get delivered what we have here today.

"From the people of Falmouth and all town councillors, we thank you so much for having the guts to do what you have done.

"You do not know how much this means to me."

With the civic occasion out of the way, the Phoenix opened its doors to the public on Thursday, though most of those attending had made use of free passes issued by Merlin Cinemas.

The real 'screen test' came over the weekend when paying customers flocked in.

"We had more than 2,000 people in over Friday, Saturday and Sunday," said Mr Greaves.

"I think if it had rained we would have been swamped, particularly during the afternoons.

Technical hitches

"We had a few technical hitches, but that was to be expected and we will be putting these right over the next week or two. The public generally understand these things and it was all very well received.