The Bigger Boat

We were appointed as the main contractor for the ‘The Bigger Boat’ project by Tyneside Cinema. The scheme involved the redevelopment of the former Barclays Bank unit adjacent to the existing cinema, transforming the space into an art area and adding a fourth screen spanning the third and fourth floors. A new bar and restaurant were created on the ground floor, while a new kitchen facility was installed in the basement, making use of the former bank vaults.

The existing Tyneside Cinema building is Grade II listed and situated in a landlocked site at the heart of Newcastle upon Tyne city centre, surrounded by retail and commercial properties.

The site is located on a short section of Pilgrim Street, which features five bus stops, including one directly outside the former bank unit. This section of Pilgrim Street operates as a bus-only route during peak hours, which limited access for deliveries and waste removal to outside of these times.

The cinema’s main entrance is on High Friar Lane, just off Pilgrim Street. As the cinema remained fully operational throughout the works, it was essential to maintain uninterrupted access to this entrance during construction.

Additionally, the Intermezzo Café, situated on the corner of the block and surrounded by the cinema building at its side and rear, has its main entrance on Pilgrim Street, which also needed to remain accessible throughout the project.

Early in the works, a hoarding was installed to the frontage of the former Barclays Bank unit. A hoarding license was granted on the condition that it would not impede or restrict pedestrian traffic on Pilgrim Street, particularly given the proximity of the bus stop.

Since the cinema continued operating during construction, close coordination was required to minimise noise disruption to scheduled screenings. Noisy activities were restricted to outside of the cinema’s opening hours, ensuring minimal impact on visitors and operations.

Both Phase 1, comprising the Café/Bar and Commercial Kitchen, and Phase 2, the New Screening Area, were completed on time and became fully operational as planned. The client expressed great satisfaction with the project delivery, confirming that their takings were unaffected throughout the construction period.