By Liz HearnshawA HOLLYWOOD superstar could be coming to East Anglia to officially open the region's newest £15million multi-screen cinema.Bosses confirmed yesterday bulldozers will begin digging the foundations of the multiplex cinema in Parkway, Bury St Edmunds, on August 2.

By Liz Hearnshaw

A HOLLYWOOD superstar could be coming to East Anglia to officially open the region's newest £15million multi-screen cinema.

Bosses confirmed yesterday bulldozers will begin digging the foundations of the multiplex cinema in Parkway, Bury St Edmunds, on August 2.

The long-awaited project will see the shell of the cinema building constructed over a 44-week period, with a further 20 weeks of work then following when the seats and auditoriums are fitted out.

It is due to be completed in December 2005 and cinema bosses are hoping a Hollywood star will carry out the official opening.

Toby Baines, chief executive of Citygrove, which is working alongside Cine-UK on the building work, said: “We are extremely excited that all matters have now been resolved relating to the cinema development.

“All the conditions have been met and work will start on August 2. We will then complete a 44-week building contract, before Cine-UK will spend 20 weeks fitting out the auditorium and seats.

“The opening date, in the worst case scenario, would be December 2005, but we do hope to bring that forward.”

When complete, the eight-screen complex will nestle alongside four eateries, including New York-style diner Frankie and Benny's, burger outlet Tootsies and Italian restaurant Ask.

Although the final café bar has yet to be let, bosses are confident the site will soon be snapped up.

“One site remains unlet, but we are not unhappy about that. We need to get the right mix of family-related restaurants in place,” said Mr Baines.

“From our point of view, we do not see this as just a cinema. It will be a small, family leisure and entertainments centre.

“We want to make sure this is the success that everyone knows it is going to be. It is an added facility that will keep people, who currently go to Cambridge or Ipswich, in the town.”

The cinema scheme has been hit by a series of setbacks since a plan for a multi-screen were first mooted in 1996, but planning permission was finally granted last December.

liz.hearnshaw@eadt.co.uk