A £26.7MILLION cinema complex in Basildon town centre is set to be fully open in the next three months according to new operators Vue.

Vue has announced that their new cinema in the town centre will be opened “this summer”.

Work has now taken place to replace the former Empire cinema signs with new Vue signs.

Basildon Council has called the future opening a “landmark event that will start the economic regeneration of the town centre”.

A spokesman added: “It will become a real destination for people to spend time with families and friends and enjoy the entertainment.”

Despite this, Basildon’s Labour Group has reiterated its opposition to the plans, with leader Gavin Callaghan stating he would “undo the deal on day one” if he could but is not currently aware of the legal position surrounding it.

He said: “The Labour Party is clear this is not a project we believe is value for money or value for the taxpayer and we believe it does not have a long-term benefit.

“The deal is woeful, and we could have bought every resident of Basildon a 70-inch flatscreen TV and a three-month Netflix subscription for the amount that has been spent on it.

“No one feels the cinema is a long-term solution to the issues with the town centre and the decision should have waited until after the election.

“If I could undo it on day one, I would.”

A Vue spokesman said: “Work has begun to bring our new venue in Basildon’s East Square to life, which is set to open this summer.

“It’s exciting to see the Vue sign installed on the building bringing us a step closer to its completion.

“As the UK’s leading operator, we will be bringing the ultimate seat, screen and sound experience to the area.

“Each of our ten screens will feature stadium-tiered, luxury leather seating alongside Vue’s Recliner seats, high definition 4K screens, laser digital projection systems and Dolby Atmos multi-dimensional sound.”