THE Glasgow Film Theatre will receive a funding boost of more than £400,000 to help with losses as a result of the pandemic.

The money comes from a funding pot of £3.55 million which is set to benefit 30 independent cinemas and two touring operators serving communities across Scotland.

The funding comes from the Scottish Government’s Independent Cinema Recovery and Resilience Fund and The National Lottery, through Screen Scotland.

The fund, which aims to bridge the immediate financial gap faced by independently owned cinemas as a result of COVID-19, will now support these cinemas who can operate in the short-term, within Scottish Government guidelines, and help others towards reopening, when it is safe to do so.

Allison Gardner, CEO at Glasgow Film, said: “We are really grateful to have been awarded support through this scheme.

“This award will significantly reduce our projected operating deficit for the year to March 2021.

“Ticket sales (of available seats) have been strong and feedback is very positive about compliance and the rigorous safety measures we have in place.

“However, new local closures and the 2m distance rule when we are open means that we can only sell 14 per cent of our seats.

“There are still difficult times ahead, but GFT is in strong position as we have an incredibly loyal audience.

“A huge thanks goes to all our stakeholders, customers and supporters and of course most importantly our staff, who have and continue to do an amazing job during these difficult times.”

Fiona Hyslop, Cabinet Secretary for Culture said: “We understand the severe impact this pandemic has had on businesses across Scotland, including our independent cinemas which play such an important role in communities across the country. “We have had to make some really difficult decisions recently that will impact on cinemas which have worked so hard to re-open safely, but we have to put health considerations above everything else and I hope this funding, along with the business support that will be available, will help independent cinemas cope with all the challenges they face. “Culture is vitally important to all of our lives, and we are determined to do everything within our powers to see the sector through this crisis. This fund is part of the ongoing financial support the Scottish Government is making available to the sector.”