THE last independent Cinema in East Lancashire has given new meaning to drive-in movies thanks to a door-to-door bus service for film buffs.

The Ribble Valley Community Partnership has joined forces with managers at the Grand Cinema, Clitheroe, to provide the service on Friday and Saturday nights from June 7.

The filmbus will collect cinema-goers from their homes and drop them off at the York Street venue in time for the start of the movie, returning them home afterwards.

Cinema manager Claire Pearson said the aim was to provide affordable convenient transport for teenagers and senior citizens living in the villages in the Clitheroe area.

She said: "The idea is to tie the bus service in with film times.

"People can ring a special number and we'll do the rest.

"The filmbus will be particularly useful for people who don't have their own transport."

The one-screen Grand Cinema has an illustrious history, being acquired by Clitheroe man Ignatius Cullen in 1920, then run by his daughters, Barbara and Marie, for nearly 50 years.

The Civic Hall Cinema, as it was formerly known, was famous for its mock-Gothic interior, red velvet "kissing seat", grand piano and portrait of the Queen.

The cinema's toilets were also nominated for a national Loo of the Year Award in 1990, after judges described them as "an antechamber of exquisite brasses and a pleasure to visit."

The Cullen sisters were proud of the fact that in the 50 years they ran the cinema they never showed an X-rated film.

Plans by Ribble Valley Council to close it after the Cullens retired were greeted with a storm of protest, even though audience figures had slumped in the face of stiff competition from out-of-town multiplexes.

The Grade II listed cinema reopened as the Grand two years ago, after being bought by the Ribble Valley Community Partnership, with backing from millionaire Ultraframe boss John Lancaster.

Bosses at the partnership, which is made up of public groups and private businesses, plan to turn it into a multi-million pound community arts centre, with a cinema, theatre, meeting rooms, gallery, cyber cafe, recording studios, rehearsal room and creche.

The venue is to due to close for the start of development work later this year, with a flagship reopening scheduled for next year, when the bus service will resume.

Fares for the filmbus will be in line with public transport and places on the bus need to be booked by 2pm on Fridays, so that routes can be planned.

For information on fares and times, ring Karen Brayshae on 01200 444484.