Mickleton Cinema Club, launched 30 years ago with a showing of Titanic, is enjoying a big screen boost thanks to the new full-fibre ultrafast broadband brought to the village by GoFibre and UK Government funding.
The highly anticipated upgrade is part of the Government’s Project Gigabit initiative, which aims to rollout fast, reliable broadband across the UK, targeting hard-to-reach homes and businesses that would otherwise miss out.
The neighbourhood hub, which hosts the cinema club every second Friday at Mickleton village hall, has experienced significant improvements since upgrading to full fibre. With much faster internet speeds and reliability, the hall can now successfully host high-quality movie nights for up to 50 attendees twice a month.
The enhancements are expected to unite the community, and it’s hoped, tempt along more villagers, who otherwise would have to travel 25 miles to Richmond or Darlington for a movie night. The faster broadband means cinema club patrons can now stream a much wider range of films, and enjoy them with a much better quality hi-definition visual experience, right on their doorstep.
The benefits of having a village cinema cross the generations. Club regular and Mickleton resident Sue Kelly (67) has introduced her granddaughter Ivy Swanston (13) to the club. Kelly said, “The cinema club is brilliant, it’s a fantastic community asset. We’d have to go into Darlington, a 40-minute round trip, if we didn’t have this wonderful facility right here. We even stop the film halfway through, for a cup of tea and a chat – you don’t get that at most cinemas.”
Since being awarded the Project Gigabit contract for the area in Autumn 2022, GoFibre has provided nearly 4,000 residents and local businesses with access to a faster, more reliable internet service. Durham Dales Holiday Cottages, Lightning Signs Printing and Mickleton Service Station are a few of the many businesses benefiting from improved connectivity through the contract, which is supported locally by Durham County Council.
David Hutchinson, chairman of Mickleton Village Hall and owner of Durham Dales Holiday Cottages, Lightning Signs Printing and Mickleton Service Station, said: “The impact of GoFibre’s ultrafast broadband on our community has been nothing short of transformative. As a small business owner, poor broadband was horrendous and made it difficult to run operations efficiently. I now have reliable and fast internet connections, which have significantly improved the operational efficiency of my businesses and enhanced customer satisfaction.
“Our village hall has also become a vibrant hub, hosting movie nights that bring residents together. This much-needed entertainment option is especially important for our elderly members, who previously had to travel long distances for such activities. We are excited to see what else it brings and look forward to seeing the benefits unfold for everyone in Mickleton.”
Neil Conaghan, chief executive officer, GoFibre, said: “We are thrilled to see the benefits that our full fibre broadband is bringing to Mickleton. This technology will have a lasting, positive impact on the lives of the residents, from enhancing local business operations and boosting economic growth to improving social inclusion and community engagement.
“By closing the digital divide, we are equipping our rural economy for the future, ensuring that hard-to-reach communities like Mickleton can thrive in the digital age. We look forward to continuing our efforts and seeing even more positive changes unfold.”
