A GREENOCK businessman is aiming to give locals a ‘reel’ good time by opening a new cinema and bar in Gourock.

Clyde Murray has moved into the former George Young photography studio on Kempock Street and is in the process of turning the premises into a small-scale picture house.

The 21-year-old, who works at The Exchange bar bistro in Greenock, has taken on the mammoth task of renovating the studio and adding an outdoor seating area for customers.

OTHER NEWS: Tonino's owner reveals 'exciting' plan for Gourock wine bar

Clyde says he wants the new venue to feel like a 'comfy house' and offer locals a laid-back setting to enjoy themselves in. 

He hopes to have the building’s bar open by September and has taken inspiration from popular independent cinemas elsewhere.

Greenock Telegraph: A Greenock businessman is aiming to give locals a ‘reel’ good time by opening a new cinema and

He told the Tele: “I was at university studying Scots and English Law and finding it rather dull, but I was thoroughly enjoying my job over in The Exchange.

“One of our regulars, Charlie, was always coming in and chatting to me and he after he’d had his drink he would say he was going to go home and watch one of his John Wayne films.

“I thought that there were probably hundreds of folk doing the exact same thing and the idea for this place grew from there.

“I’d been to places like the Everyman cinema before and I like going to places like the Glasgow Film Theatre with my mum, so I thought what’s the harm in looking for a spot.

“My friends have helped with demolitions, Tony from Tonino's came to help me knock a wall down and a friend I grew up with has helped fit the floor.

“Downtakings, filling the skip, doing the plumbing, building the booth and doing the Gyprock has all been me.

“I’ve never done anything like this before and I’ve had to teach myself how to do a lot of it.

“I feel like a 60-year-old saying it but there’s literally nothing you can’t learn by looking it up online.

“I’ve thoroughly enjoyed it.”

Clyde is planning to call the business ‘Picture Hoose Gourock’ and intends to focus on older films instead of newer releases.

Greenock Telegraph: A Greenock businessman is aiming to give locals a ‘reel’ good time by opening a new cinema and

He added: “None of this would have happened if people hadn’t taken me seriously when I started talking about it and encouraging me.

“I know we have a cinema in this area of course and I have no interest of taking business off them.

“They do a brilliant job and they care about what they’re doing.

“I know how I want it to be in here, the kind of place people can bring their mum and dad along to and talk about their week.

“It can be somewhere people can have a nice time to see something they saw with their family years ago, or the first film that they saw, things like that.

“If that’s not what folk are after there are more than enough other spots around here they can go to.

“I want to keep it so that when you come in it’s a nice place to sit and have a wine or a cocktail, I want to have it be a laid-back place for everyone to enjoy.”