2 min read
A new £45m cinema and leisure complex is to officially open next month.
Animate is located at Preston’s former indoor market area in the Harris Quarter.
Key Takeaways
The important points from this article
A new £45m cinema and leisure complex is to officially open next month.
The attraction's first venue, the cafe-bar Argento Lounge, opens its doors on 5 February.
The announcement puts the phased opening of Animate slightly ahead of schedule, with the first of the complex's nine units not expected to have started trading until the following week, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.
The attraction’s first venue, the cafe-bar Argento Lounge, opens its doors on 5 February.
The announcement puts the phased opening of Animate slightly ahead of schedule, with the first of the complex’s nine units not expected to have started trading until the following week, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.
The flagship eight-screen Arc Cinema is set to open sometime during the week commencing 17 February.
Hollywood Bowl bowling alley is next in line to launch in late February or early March, with the five other eateries that will join Argento Lounge – Ask Italian, world buffet Cosmo, the South American-themed Las Iguanas, Mexican-inspired Taco Bell and the street food outlets of the Mad Giant Food Hall – all to follow thereafter.
Councillor Martyn Rawlinson, Preston City Council’s cabinet member for resources and performance, said the opening of the Animate scheme followed “many years of hard work.
Part of the funding came from the £20m Preston’s Town Fund, which has been spent on Animate, the Harris Museum and the Grade II-listed Amounderness House in the city.
Last Updated on December 7, 2025 by Samuel Kwame Boadu
Disclaimer: Some content on Accra Street Journal may be aggregated, summarized, or edited from third-party sources for informational purposes. Images and media are used under fair use or royalty-free licenses. Accra Street Journal is a subsidiary of SamBoad Publishing Hub under SamBoad Business Group Ltd, registered in Ghana since 2014.
For concerns or inquiries, please visit our Privacy Policy or Contact Page.
Samuel Kwame Boadu is a Ghanaian media entrepreneur and storyteller with a passion for amplifying urban voices and uncovering everyday truths. He is the Editor-in-Chief and Founder of Accra Street Journal, a dynamic digital platform dedicated to capturing the pulse of Ghana’s capital—its people, culture, challenges, business, sports and innovations.
Use the following reference when citing or referencing this article.
Your feedback helps us improve our journalism.
Report an Error
Help us maintain accuracy. Let our editorial team know if you spot an issue in this article.
Report a problem with this article
