Paul Carr and Esther Patterson opened the Northern Light Cinema in Wirksworth in 2013. With no previous experience in the cinema industry, they nevertheless decided to take the unneeded ground floor of the building they had bought for their other business, Curiousa & Curiousa, and develop it into a screen.
Following extensive research and with the help of friends, family and a host of local volunteers, the doors opened on July 4th, 2013. Since then, this community-minded cinema has provided valuable local access to culture and entertainment in Wirksworth, as well as much needed employment, with 2019 seeing over 18,000 tickets sold.