YORK’S former Reel cinema - originally the Odeon - will re-open early next year at the latest, following a £2.7 million refit.

So says Crispin Lilly, boss of the Everyman chain which has bought the cinema.

Mr Lilly says his company had had its eye on York for some time. The iconic art deco former Odeon offered the perfect chance, he said.

When it opens, he says the cinema will be one for cinephiles: not just a multiplex, but a picture house with real heart and passion, complete with its own bar and eating area. We can’t wait.