Grab-and-go? Council's uncomplimentary comment on Cleethorpes fast-food outlets

Taco Bell, KFC and McDonalds are located close to Parkway Cinema. Likewise (not pictured), Subway and Starbucks 

                                                               
 A new document from North East Lincolnshire Council spells out the case for a cinema in Grimsby town centre - at the same time describing (or demeaning)  the fast-food businesses near Cleethorpes' Parkway cinema as 'grab-and-go' outlets. This is what the document says.

The main competition for cinema traffic within a 30-minute drive time of Grimsby town centre is the Parkway cinema in Cleethorpes. 

This provides a nine-screen multiplex on a retail park somewhat isolated from the Promenade and main tourist and leisure facilities. 

The food and beverage offer is limited to the lower end of the family market with an emphasis on grab-and-go fast food and a very limited sit-down restaurant offer.

Ultimately, Grimsby town centre demands an improved food offer with a wider family appeal rather than grab-and-go self-service.

Due to prime location and optimum size, the proposed Grimsby site is capable of attracting an independent cinema operator which, in combination with the 10 million shoppers that visit Freshney Place, each year creates  the magnet to attract restaurant operators that otherwise would not consider locating to the town. 

The development already has expressions of interest from numerous operators and are looking to attract restaurants with longer dwell-times and aimed at the whole family rather than the younger teenage market alone. 

New lease terms have been agreed with Parkway Cinemas, and the legal documents are being progressed to an imminent exchange. 

Parkway will provide the multiplex anchor tenant for the development, and, being the same operator as at Cleethorpes, will make sure that the new cinema offer will not compete with it but complement it. 

The adjacent leisure unit has attracted further interest both from the cinema operator as a complementary activity and from another operator interested in bringing  an active leisure use such as bowling to the scheme.

Parkway in Cleethorpes - deal for sister cinema in Grimsby said (by council) to be 'imminent'

The Grimsby News says: Credit to North East Lincolnshire Council for its ambitions  for Grimsby town centre. But are they realistic? Is it true that there have been "numerous expressions of interest" in the proposed makeover?  If so, from whom? Is not the reality that, contrary to NELC's aspirations, the best on offer is likely to be a replica of what exists at the south end of Cleethorpes? In other words, more grab-and-go. And if that's what the market demands, so be it.