IF YOU yearn for a pint or a gin and tonic as you watch the latest blockbuster movie at the cinema, look no further than a pub in Abergavenny.

The King's Arms in St John's Square has created its own cinema in the pub's recently-renovated barn extension - thought to be the first pub in Britain to do so.

Moviegoers can also take a meal from the pub's restaurant in with them to eat as they watch the film.

And it is such a success that its fortnightly cinema screenings are to be made weekly in the New Year.

Abergavenny has no commercial cinema - the nearest is at Monmouth - although there are some film screenings by the local film society at the town's Melville Theatre.

Owner Ben Jones, the Managing Director of liqueur company Celtic Spirit, said such was the demand that he had to add an extra three nights to the launch screening of Mamma Mia!

At £4.50 a head, screenings attract between 50 and 60 people.

Mr Jones, from Llanfoist and who has lived in Abergavenny for the past 15 years, said: “The idea behind the King’s Cinema is to offer people the chance to see a film and enjoy a meal or drink.

“The lack of a cinema in the town gave me the idea of making the pub a focal point for entertainment.

“The town has wanted a cinema for years and we have quietly gone out and done it.

“Since our launch at the beginning of November we have been inundated with bookings. We were only going to show Mamma Mia for one night in the 60-seater barn venue but had so many people wanting to see it that we ran it for another three nights.

We’ve also shown Iron Man and the response has been overwhelming. We are like a normal cinema, offering popcorn and sweets and hope to be able to offer the much-loved choc ice next year."

The pub's cinema was fully booked for its screening of Sex And The City last night.

Mr Jones added: “We can accommodate 60 people and up to 120 if we use the restaurant."

The pub will be showing Hairspray on January 6 and The Duchess on January 20 as well as the latest James Bond instalment Quantum of Solace later in the New Year.

For details of film nights go to www.kingsarmsabergavenny.co.uk

  • There has been a long-standing campaign for a cinema in Abergavenny which gathered momentum at the end of 2007 when the Town Council backed calls for the Borough Theatre to show films when it is not in use.

Nick Banewell, who runs the Borough Theatre, previously said that there are a number of factors that make it impossible: “We only have one auditorium and we are committed to putting on professional productions and also giving space to amateur groups.”

Mr Banewell added that more staff would be needed at extra expense.

Mobile cinema equipment costing £10,000 is still being used by village hall committees in Monmouthshire under the umbrella of the Rural Community Action team, and it has proved very successful.

  • The King’s Arms, a former coaching inn which dates back to the 1600s, has been transformed back to its original glory by Mr Jones.

He says some parts of the pub date back to early medieval times.

He added: “The crest on the front of the pub belongs to Charles II but it is an error because Charles I visited here on his flight from the battle of Naseby."

The pub also houses a micro-brewery, restaurant and exhibits work by local artists.