A DORCHESTER cinema is reporting a surge in visitors over the past 12 months.

The county town’s Odeon cinema at Brewery Square says footfall has increased by 45 per cent – the highest growth in attendance across the whole chain.

The cinema claims the increase in footfall is down to the variety of content show on its big screen, which has included live broadcasts of National Theatre, Royal Ballet and Royal Opera House productions, as well as its pricing structure.

One of its most popular screenings was the live broadcast of the National Theatre’s production of War Horse in February, which attracted more than 420 people.

Odeon has now lined up an array of alternative screenings for the coming months, with the National Theatre’s production of Alan Ayckbourn’s A Small Family Business, Puccini’s opera Manon Lescaut, Monty Python Live and The Royal Ballet’s recital of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland due to be shown.

Dorchester Odeon general manager Alan Escott said: “We aim to provide a first-class cinema experience at a competitive price and are pleased this is received extremely well.”