REFURBISHING the old Cannon Cinema has certainly been the single biggest project that the Jesus Fellowship has ever tackled.

From the outside facade of the cinema there’s little to tell you of the busy construction site inside. The new lower circle, which joins the stalls and upper circle is now complete, allowing the main auditorium to function as a single space giving everyone access to the stage. Two large multi-purpose rooms have been created from the area which was originally the rear stalls. First-class facilities for wheelchair users have been built. The new cafe in the first floor is nearly finished long with the drop-in lounge and shower facilities for visitors. It was inevitable that with a refurbishment of a building of this age and with such strict listed building regulations, there were going to be problems. But they came from the least likely direction! Who would have thought paint and plasterwork would have caused such delays? Nearly 65,000 square feet of paintwork has had to be painstakingly scraped before repainting.

New boilers and heating systems are in place, with the air conditioning due shortly. Most of the rewiring is done and preparations being made for the new electricity supply cable.

Only the refurbishment of the grand frontage and canopy remains to be started. The 1930s art deco interior (especially the magnificent vaulted ceilings of the entrance vestibule concealed for years by the 1970s “modernisation”) are said to be the best-preserved example of the prolific cinema architect W. R. Glen.

At Northampton we’ve been blessed for nearly three years by the success of our small pilot unit near the old cinema. But what, I wondered lay ahead for us when we have the far greater scope of the main Centre? I decided to travel across to see our big Jesus Centre in Coventry.

It was a Friday evening. A packed cafe listened to poetry reading and solo spots by a selection of people. The atmosphere buzzed with Jesus friendship! Just one of the many things that could take place in the new Northampton Jesus Centre.