A FORMER Art Deco cinema which has been brought back to life for the next generation is throwing its doors open to the public this weekend.

The finishing touches have been made to The Majestic, an iconic 1930s building in Darlington, ready for its grand opening tomorrow (Saturday, September 20).

The building has been undergoing extensive renovation since January, after being bought by North-East property developer, Devlin Hunter.

Tasteful restoration work has seen many of the venue’s original Art Deco features brought back to life, and the metal cladding that has covered the frontage since the 1950s has been removed, revealing its impressive facade for the first time in decades.

The thick black paint that covered the building’s stained glass windows has also been painstakingly scraped away using razorblades.

Its ground floor has been tastefully transformed into Magic and Mayhem Soft Play – the largest soft play structure in the North-East – and a brand new marble entrance hall, complete with a twinkling chandelier now greets visitors to the much-loved Bondgate venue.

There are also plans to play homage to the building’s past by transforming the upper floors into a live performance theatre and restaurant, with work expected to start early next year.

Project manager Sharon Branch said she had been overwhelmed with the support given to their new business venture, with residents praising the new look of the building.

“While it is a business and we are here to make money, we also wanted to give something to the community and to create something for Darlington,” she said.

“I love history and I love architecture so we have tried to keep it looking as close to that period as possible.

“We have done a lot of work on the front of the building and we have had really good feedback from people.”

She said the work has also been met with support from members of ‘The Majestic, the future’ Facebook group, which has followed the project since work began.

Magic and Mayhem Soft Play will be officially open for business from 10am tomorrow (Saturday, September 20) with competition winner, six-year-old Evie Grace Watson, cutting the ribbon.

Face painting and superheroes will also be on offer, and soft play will be open until the early evening.

For more information visit facebook.com/MagicMayhemSoftPlay or call 01325-482848.