The Covid-19 pandemic brought a significant set of challenges for businesses, and ours was no exception. What do you do when no customers are allowed inside the building to watch a film?
Thankfully, the team here at the Magic Lantern has always thrived on a positive spirit, even in the most daunting moments, and has been ready to rise to any obstacle placed in front of us.
In 2020, when gatherings outdoors were finally allowed for the first time, we set up the Sundowners cocktail bar at the front and back of the cinema, complete with large tables individually named in the only way the Lantern knows how: with puns!
The Sundowners allowed us to make use of our bar and large selection of drinks while waiting to reopen the theatre. It remains open today, though only at the back and only during the summer. You can read more about the Sundowners here.
Drive-In (2020)
In the summer of 2020, we embarked on what could easily be described as our biggest project yet: opening a Drive-In cinema!
As it became clear that theatres and cinemas would not be reopening anytime soon, we sought to bring films outdoors, to a large field where everyone could watch from the comfort and safety of their cars. We had to obtain a radio licence to broadcast sound directly to the vehicles, as well as find partners with the necessary equipment. We were granted permission to set everything up, thanks to the kind generority of the Talyllyn Railway, in a large field near Abergynolwyn (the same location where the Abergynolwyn Show takes place every year). This became our home for two months during the summer of 2020, while part of the team continued to work at the Sundowners.
We couldn’t show new films as all upcoming releases were paused, so we curated a selection of classic films instead. We marked precise placements for all the cars to ensure everyone’s safety and secured the necessary equipment to manage rain and mud.
Although the project was not the financial success we had hoped for, it allowed us to keep the cinema alive in a temporary new home in the Eryri National Park.
The highlight was a special guest, Mark Addy, who joined us to talk about his role in The Full Monty before the screening of the film.
Secret Garden (2021–2022)
The Sundowners cocktail bar proved very popular, and an opportunity to expand arose in 2021, when the owner of the Corbett Hotel allowed us to use the garden situated between the cinema and the hotel.
Completely surrounded by a natural wall of trees, it’s a garden you wouldn’t even know existed unless you knew where to look. Inspired by The Chronicles of Narnia, we created an entrance designed as a wardrobe and set up a magical secret space where customers could enjoy drinks and food.
The Secret Garden was a huge success during the two years we ran it. Unfortunately, the disused Corbett Hotel was deemed unsafe in 2023, and its close proximity to the garden made us uncomfortable continuing operations, so we closed it down that same year.
