How one independent Somerset cinema is struggling to stay open - as blockbusters continue to be delayed

Westway is one of many independent cinemas in the West Country struggling to get by without the blockbuster releases Credit: ITV News West Country

A couple who own a cinema in Somerset say they are just about managing to keep their business afloat during the coronavirus pandemic.

Beryl and Pat Scott had built a steady business at the Westway but lockdown took its toll on the cinema.

Beryl and Pat say they run the cinema because they love film but the lack of blockbusters is putting pressure on their business. Credit: ITV News West Country

"And then it just went on and on and eventually we opened up again. We don't have the capacity we did have so we don't have the revenue we did have but we are struggling on . I think we are just about breaking even."

Cineworld will be to temporarily closing its screens in Cheltenham, Bristol, Yate, Swindon, Weston-super-Mare and Plymouth. Credit: ITV News West Country

One of the UK's biggest cinema chains, Cineworld, has confirmed it is to temporarily close its sites in the UK and US, creating job fears for thousands of employees.

The closures come as the release of the latest James Bond film was further delayed from November to Spring 2021.

Beryl and Pat also own another cinema in Burnham-on-Sea, and Pat says it's his love of film that keeps him going, despite the challenges running the business presents.

Pat and Beryl believe the cinema can help the community by offering an alternative for families.

The pandemic has put the brakes on the film industry with many people unsure if they want to return to cinemas. Credit: ITV News West Country

Christopher Nolan's Tenet was one a few movies not to delay its release and many hoped its release was going to help tempt people back to the big screen.

But film industry experts agreed it did not have the uptake many had been hoping for.