THE Waterfront Cinema has been bringing big screen blockbusters to Greenock for the last 30 years - and bosses say this summer looks set to be one of the best yet.
Five hundreds people went along on Thursday, the UK release day for Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which was partly filmed in Glasgow.
It is a huge moment for West Coast Cinema boss David Shaw and his general manager John Cunningham, who have had to steer the independent cinema through its most challenging times in recent years.
The Waterfront Cinema was built by Inverclyde Council in 1996 as part of a major regeneration and came 10 years after the last of the traditional picture houses shut down in the town.
In that time the cinema has held its own, staying open despite the rise in the mega multi-screen complexes along the M8, offering something closer to home and contributing significantly to the local economy.
But the pandemic was a hammer blow to the cinema, changing the way people watch films forever and also with the scriptwriters strike, there was a real dearth of movies.
Now the Waterfront is back having used all their experience to adapt and their reward is making the most of some of the biggest summer films for years.
David, a chartered accountant, said: "I took over in 2011 from my former father-in-law Phil Pittman, who ran the business. We have had our challenges, and it has not been easy.
"We had been on a really good footing. The cinema was going well, and then the pandemic came along. That has been the single biggest threat we have ever faced.
"Everything changed, but we are starting to see audiences coming back for the collective experience. There are also good movies coming back out.
"I have definitely learned to love cinema - but John is the expert on films!"
It is a full circle moment for David, 65, who was born in his granny's house in Port Glasgow, spending his early years in the town before his family moved to Glasgow.
He said: "I was born in Port Glasgow, my dad was from the Port and my mum was from Greenock. We moved to Glasgow when I was three.
"All my family were from here. I have come back to the start!"
The Waterfront was built in 1996 with Phil, who ran the cinema in Dunoon, agreeing to take on the lease to run the operation.
Greenock had been without a cinema since the closure of the Gaumont, on the corner of Brougham Street and Robertson Street, in 1980.
General manager John, 57, who lives in Port Glasgow, added: "It was something that sorely missed by the people in Inverclyde, so the council decided to built another facility."
Cinema is in John Cunningham's blood. His dad was a projectionist and he grew up watching all the movies in 35mm at the back of the cinema.
He followed in his dad's footsteps, working as projectionist with Caledonian Associated Cinemas and then latterly at the Glasgow Film Theatre.
John, originally from Glasgow, said: "It really is in my blood and is one of my earliest memories. My first job was in 1987 and I loved it."
But John could see that the days of projectionists were numbered, with digital technology fast replacing the traditional methods.
Having moved down to Port Glasgow when he got married, John went along to the Waterfront to watch a film - and never looked back.
John, who has been at the Waterfront for 14 year, said: "I wanted to support the local cinema. When I was there one of the films broke down and I offered to help. I started speaking to David, and here I am.
"I knew my days as projectionist were numbered with digital. So I was looking for a new opportunity."
West Coast Cinemas operates in both Greenock and Dunoon, two very different operations with different demographics.
Greenock very much caters for families, with Toy Story 5 being one of their busiest for years and now Spider-Man.
John said: "We very much depend on great films. Put on great films and people will come."
They have also been bolstered by Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey this summer which is bringing along a very different kind of film fan to Toy Story, but still in good numbers.
Down the years, films like Avengers: Endgame, all the recent James Bond movies, and the last in the Harry Potter series have all been particularly big draws.
John added: "Harry Potter was a game changer for cinema. I think if you get it right, people still want that experience of coming to see a film in a cinema."
The switch to digital technology was one of the cinema's biggest challenges of the last 30 years, though David admitted it was "absolutely necessary because no film was being made in 35mm anymore."
The 30th anniversary of the Waterfront is a chance to look forward as well as an opportunity to celebrate their achievements so far.
The Waterfront, which employees around 13 members of staff, continues to reach out to the community through its Fun Film Club, with autism-friendly and sensory-friendly screenings, as well as a Silver Screen offering aimed at over-60s.
They also plan to bring back some of the biggest and best-loved films from 1996, including Independence Day, starring Will Smith and Jeff Goldblum - and have hopes that they may be able to bring back the Inverclyde Film Festival.
And with the new Ocean Terminal and Scotts restaurant nearby, there's plenty for David and John to capitalise on as they look to expand what they offer.
"For every £1 spent in a cinema," John said, "people spend £3 in the local economy."
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