SITTING through a long film has never been as comfortable at one of the region’s big screens.

Cinema goers in Richmond are feeling the benefit of brand new seating after a complete re-fit of one of the Station’s cinema’s screens.

Over the past couple of weeks, Screen Two has been closed for a £25,000 refurbishment.

It involved the removal of a retractable seating unit which had been in place since the transformation of the building from redundant station to heritage attraction in 2007.

“Originally we opted for this flexible option so that the room could be used either as a cinema auditorium, or, with the seating retracted, a meeting room or performance space,” said cinema director Rob Younger.

“As it has turned out, the two cinema screens here at the Station have proved to be so popular that the seating in Screen Two has very rarely been pushed back, so we thought it was time to replace it with specialist cinema seating for the ongoing comfort of our customers.”

The refurbishment has included an upgrade to the sound system, improved sight-lines to the screen as well as the installation of 98 new red velvet seats – complete with cup holders - onto a custom built seating platform.

The Station’s screens have had more than 500,000 film fans through the door since opening six years ago And in true Hollywood tradition there has even been a happy ending for the old retractable seating. It’s now being used in the main hall of King James's School in Knaresborough.