Leeds entrepreneur hopes to turn lockdown idea to keep his children entertained into a national business plan

Chris Tinson has owned a recruitment business for the last 11 years but has also launched a pop-up cinema concept called Home Cinema Hire.

After exhausting all possibilities of games and activities to keep his young children occupied during the first lockdown last year he decided to set up a giant screen for a family movie night – and then thought there might be demand with other families unable to go for a trip out to the cinema.

He said: “By the end of lockdown one, like many families, we had tried every physical and virtual game and activity possible, and so I came up with the idea of creating my very own cinema experience. The idea was to set-up a giant cinema screen at home whereby I could stage a movie night with my family or, when the restrictions eased, invite people in my bubble to watch the football or a boxing match in the cinema-style setting.

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The home cinema came about as an idea to keep children entertained during lockdown.
The home cinema came about as an idea to keep children entertained during lockdown.

“It then occurred to me that there must be a demand for families like my own that are unable to go out and don’t have the space or luxury of having a cinema room but want to experience their own Everyman.”

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Through the power of social media, popularity for the service has quickly spread, leading to requests from all over the country for the service. It would appear that something that started during COVID19 as a nice idea for the family may well soon become a full-time business.

Mr Tinson said if demand continues at the current pace he hopes to have the franchise established this year.

See Leeds United games on the big screen.

He added: “Since the latest government restrictions, we have seen another surge in bookings. The price point makes the hire of the screens extremely accessible to all budgets and more importantly helps drive home the government’s message of STAY HOME.”

The 2m x 1m indoor screen starts at £100 and the outdoor screen which is 4.2m x 3m starts at £160.

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Family movie nights can continue at home.