STAFF at Greenock’s Waterfront Cinema are preparing for a big bash to celebrate it’s 21st birthday.

The Custom House Way cinema opened on October 24 in 1996, and there will be a special event next week to mark the occasion.

On Monday, the first 21 people through the doors will be able to watch any film of their choosing for just 21p and there will be a series of other promotions.

The event is taking place 24 hours before the anniversary date, to coincide with the last day of the October school break.

David Shaw, owner of West Coast Cinemas, which operates the Waterfront, hopes to reel in lots of movie fans to celebrate the occasion.

He said: “It’s a great achievement for the cinema to reach 21 and to be still very much regarded as a vital amenity for the community.

“I’ve been involved now for six years and we like to do something every year for the birthday as a thank-you to all our loyal customers and it goes down very well.

“It’s always very busy and some people even come in and watch all four films that are on because it’s so cheap — and they can always rely on the Greenock weather!”

The cinema will open earlier than normal tomorrow at 10.30am with the first movie on at 11am.

General manager John Cunningham will be helping to direct traffic and is excited about celebrating the milestone.

He said: “I can’t believe the cinema has been here 21 years.

“We’re living in a golden age of cinema at the moment and we’re happy to celebrate that as well as the birthday.

“It’s also a celebration of the cinema as a whole and its value to the community.

“We very much listen to our customers and what they want — everything is taken into consideration.

“They said they wanted live events screened and that’s what we’ve given them and it’s been a big success along with all the mainstream films and older ones too.”