BLACKBURN cannot sustain two cinemas, a multiplex boss has said.

Vue’s UK managing director Kevin Styles fears admissions at the firm’s Blackburn site could fall by at least 40 per cent when the proposed new Reel Cinemas development on the old Waves Water Fun Centre site opens.

Currently, more than 300,000 customers per year visit the cinema near Blackburn railway station.

In an email, Mr Styles said: “We do not believe that a second multiplex cinema can be a sustainable consumer offering in Blackburn.

“We know from past experience that a new cinema opening in a relatively small catchment will likely see at least 40 per cent of those admissions move from one cinema to the other without growing the overall market.

“It goes without saying that if Vue is impacted commercially it will have to cut its cloth accordingly.”

Mr Styles said this could lead to staff numbers being slashed.

He added the new development could also have an effect on the restaurant unit beneath the Vue cinema on Peel Leisure and Retail Park in Lower Audley Street, which is empty.

Blackburn with Darwen Council has borrowed £6.5m to build the new cinema on the old Waves Water Fun Centre site on Nab Lane.

Cllr Roy Davies fears if the development goes ahead, either Vue could pull out of Blackburn or Reel will prove to be a failure and close down.

He said: “When they built the Vue, we had another cinema right in front of the town hall and that closed within weeks.

“There is not enough footfall to warrant two cinemas in Blackburn.

“The £6.5million the council is borrowing to build the new development is a waste.

“We are going to end up with our fingers burned.”

The borough’s regeneration boss, Cllr Phil Riley, said discussions with Reel Cinemas had painted a more positive picture.

“The advice that we have had is that cinema admissions are increasing,” he said.

“It’s a booming industry. The view from Reel is that they believe that admissions will grow and we would not expect to see that level of impact.

“Our hope is that Reel will grow the cinema audience from inside and out of the borough.”

The authority’s planning committee approved the Reel cinema plan last month.

The firm will sign a 20-year lease.

Work on the site is expected to begin over the summer ahead of a scheduled opening in December next year.

The new cinema on the Nab Lane site will include two food and drink outlets together with a bar.

The development will also include an underground car park including the first electric car charging points in the borough which will bring the total cost up to £9m.

Reel Cinemas declined to comment.