Silky Otter Cinemas applies for building consent in Palmerston North

The Palmerston North premises at 539 Main St East, poised to be Silky Otter Cinemas, has builders on site. Photo / Sonya Holm

More drama, intrigue and action could be headed to Palmerston North with a new cinema.

Silky Otter Cinemas has applied for building consent for the internal fitout of a building on Main St East, formerly home to Smiths City.

Cinema development company The Otter Group has two cinemas in Auckland, one in Nelson and one in Christchurch.

The cinemas follow a luxury model, advertising leather chairs and legroom plus expanded food and drink offerings from popcorn to pizza to sticky date pudding.

Palmerston North has two cinemas with Focal Point Cinema in Cuba St and Event Cinemas in the Downtown complex. Downtown has been listed for sale via deadline private treaty closing May 18.

Focal Point opened in 2020, offering boutique cinema in a 1920s-styled building and a fully licensed café and restaurant.

Palmerston North has historically had three cinemas with the State and Regent theatres on Broadway Ave and the Odeon on George St, all closing in the early 1990s.

The Regent Theatre was purchased by Palmerston North City Council in 1993. It was restored and remains open as a live venue.

The Odeon was demolished. The State Theatre became home to Westpac until 2012, has been refurbished and is for lease.

Focal Point owner Matt Bell is aware of Silky Otter Cinemas’ building in Palmerston North, but did not want to comment.

As of May 18, Palmerston North City Council had not granted the building consent.

Silky Otter Cinemas and The Otter Group were approached for comment.

Sonya Holm is a freelance journalist based in Palmerston North.