A former prison has been turned into a new leisure park – and work will begin on its cinema complex.

The new Everyman Cinema complex is the latest room in the £ 17million conveyor belt development that has seen the former Northallerton prison transformed into a retail, leisure and business destination.

The contractors, PDR Construction, will come to the site on Monday, October 4 to create the four-screen cinema and adjoining restaurant units which are slated to open next summer.

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It is partly funded by £ 4.75million from the government’s Future High Street Fund which was awarded to Northallerton earlier this year.

The Treadmills program was carried out by Central Northallerton Development Company Ltd (CNDCL), a joint venture between the Hambleton District Council and Yorkshire’s leading developer, Wykeland Group.

“Cinema is the latest part of the development of conveyor belts, so we are very happy that work is about to begin,” said Hambleton District Council Chief Councilor Mark Robson.

“We know that a movie theater will be a welcome addition to our county town and that it will provide a new option for residents and visitors spending a day or an evening in Northallerton.

“The arrival of the cinema clearly demonstrates the commitment of this municipality to develop and enhance our towns.

“We hope this will encourage more people to come to Northallerton to see a movie, have a meal and visit the Main Street.”

Andrew Rayner, Commercial Director of Everyman, added: “At Everyman, we are all excited to present Northallerton with our unique take on cinema. Our new destination location will house four screens and a total of 276 seats, right in the heart of the exciting development of Treadmills, offering a diverse schedule of movies and events all served in our signature Everyman style.

“We look forward to spoiling you with our personalized service, luxurious canapes, sophisticated cocktails and our famous Spielburger menu. Join us next summer for a reinvented cinema.

“An extremely exciting time for the city”

Jonathan Stubbs, Wykeland Group Development Director, said: “The start of work on the new Everyman Theater is the latest milestone in the thriving development of Treadmills.

“It will provide a high quality viewing experience for customers and be another great attraction for visitors to Northallerton, to further stimulate the local economy.”

“With this latest phase of construction also including the creation of three new restaurants, these are extremely exciting times for the city.”

Paul Dransfield, Managing Director of PDR Construction Ltd, added: “PDR is delighted to have been selected as a construction partner for the final phase of the conveyor belts.

“With our experience in this industry and our collaboration with Wykeland over the past decade, we look forward to creating a part of Northallerton that will be a great asset to the community. “

Northallerton Prison, which housed around 250 inmates, closed in 2013 in a state of disrepair and disuse.

It opened as a county jail for the North Riding of Yorkshire in 1783, and from the summer of 2002 it functioned as a young offender institution for prisoners.

In September 2013, the Department of Justice announced its intention to close the prison and it was acquired by Hambleton District Council.

The council has since redeveloped the site in conjunction with development company Wykeland.

The first phase of Treadmills opened last December and focused on retail, with three new stores, anchored by Lidl, and a 126-space car park.

The second phase involved the remodeling of five Grade II listed buildings, including to create Northallerton’s Center for Digital Innovation (C4DI) technology hub, which opened in May.

The prison conversion saw the oppressive landings and hallways become bright meeting spaces, with flooding flying through the partially glazed roof.

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