Cinema, bowling alley and entertainment venue set to open in Banbury - here's a sneak preview inside

The Light cinema and entertainment venue is set to open at Castle Quay Waterfront in Banbury’s town centre on Friday May 27.

The three-floor venue will be home to a seven-screen cinema, 10 lanes of bowling, a retro arcade, a climbing centre, interactive darts, a karaoke room, a diner, American pool tables and more.

Tickets for the cinema and leisure offers go on sale after the website goes live on Friday May 20 here: banbury.thelight.co.uk

Guests can expect an opening line-up featuring Tom Cruise’s much awaited Top Gun Maverick, Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness, Everything Everywhere All At Once and Downton Abbey: A New Era. Guests can also choose from a range of luxury seating from full-length loungers, spacious armchairs, electric recliners, and sofa seats.

James Morris, CEO of The Light, said: “We’re so thrilled to open in Banbury and are looking forward to welcoming the people of Oxfordshire to enjoy this exciting entertainment and leisure venue. Whether you’re looking for delicious food, an amazing movie, fun with your friends bowling, playing darts or climbing, we’ve got something for everyone and can’t wait for you to experience the best in entertainment.”

The venue will also be home to Adventure Climb, a state-of-the-art climbing centre that’s perfect for all experience levels. The centre’s walls reach 10 metres high, and include 26 different climbing routes. Guided by the venue’s climbing experts, guests can enjoy multiple themed zones with time trials, mirror walls and even a leap of faith, a suitable venue for kids’ parties and team building events.

For those non-thrill seekers, guests can also grab a coffee or a bite to eat from Coffee Cabana in the foyer.

Downstairs guests can enjoy a 10-lane bowling alley, interactive darts, a karaoke room and games arcade. The venue’s diner will be home to Fratellis and PITTSBURGER who will be serving up handmade pizzas, burgers, wraps, wings, and sides, to desserts, brunch, milkshakes. The bar will also stock a range of popular and local drinks with beers from Oxfordshire company Little Ox Brew Co. Guests can eat inside or out including in the venue’s dining pods that overlook the canal.

The Light will also offer an events line-up with regular live music, DJs, club meets, quizzes, kids’ activities, and film nights.

James Morris added: "We want to entertain people in every way, this gives us a way to do it.

"This is a special site. We’ve really been evolving this offer. This is our most diverse offer.”

"It’s all about celebrating the canal and Banbury’s heritage and giving Banbury something exciting for the future.”

The venue will also include a mini-golf offer, which officials hope to open later next month. A restaurant called The Greenhouse on the Terrace overlooking the canal, is also expected to open later next month (June).

For more information about the upcoming waterfront development see the Castle Quay website here: https://castlequay.co.uk/waterfront/