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Mystery still surrounds the eagerly-anticipated opening of Peterborough’s new £60 million Empire cinema.

The 10 screen IMAX cinema, on the roof of the Queensgate Shopping Centre, is understood to have been completed but the operator, Empire, has not given any indication when the venue will open.

Yet, just a few weeks ago, apparently after months of silence, it was reported that Empire had told the residents of Basildon in Essex that their new cinema, which had been due to open in February last year, would open this summer.

The new Empire cinema sits on the roof of the Queensgate Shopping Centre in Peterborough - but it is not clear when it will open.

It was reported issues with power supply to the cinema was a reason for the delay.

But requests to Empire for more information about the Queensgate cinema have been met with silence.

A spokesman for Queensgate said the opening was a matter for Empire.

The independently-owned UK cinema chain, Empire, which operates 14 cinemas, was first announced as the operator for the Queensgate venue in July 2018.

This image was produced in the early stages of the Queensgate Shopping Centre development to show how the Empire cinema would appear to customers coming into the shopping centre. The plans have been revised since as John Lewis and Next have both left the shopping centre. The mini-golf entertainment centre now sites on the first floor on the right.

At that time, Justin Ribbons, chief executive of Empire Cinemas, told the then Queensgate manager, LendLease: “We are very delighted to be bringing our memorable cinema experience to Peterborough.

"This will be our first cinema in the region, so will serve as a flagship for the community, providing visitors with the best quality, screens, seating and sound.”

At the time a company, Empire Cinemas (Peterborough) was set up and registered at Companies House with Mr Ribbons listed as one of two directors.

The company was incorporated on March 14, 2018 and since then has submitted annual company accounts on four occasions. Its accounts at January 3, 2019 list a prepayment of £84,219 followed by the same amount as being due to creditors during the year.

The same amount for the same reasons is listed in the accounts for the year to January 1, 2020. For the year to December 31, 2020 the amount listed for prepayment is £85,431. It rises to £149,072 the following year. The accounts do not include details about the identity of the creditor.

The cinema is part of a 77,000 square feet extension of the Queensgate that was proposed in 2015. Construction began in 2019 and finished in 2022.

Mystery still surrounds opening date for £60 million Empire cinema at Peterborough's Queensgate Shopping Centre