A FREE showing of the new children’s film, Peter Rabbit, will be held on Saturday at Theatre Colwyn.

The treat is to celebrate manager Phil Batty’s 25 year long association with the theatre. Although tickets are free, a donation in the form of tinned food, is required which will go to the local foodbank. The screening will be held at 2.30pm.

Phil said: “I thought it would be nice to celebrate my 25 years here by giving everyone in the community the chance to come along and enjoy a film free of charge, and at the same time bring a donation for the local food bank.”

Phil’s first appearance on stage at Theatr Colwyn back in the early 1990s was as the Scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz.

He added: “I thought that it was nice place, so I stayed and did a pantomime and then actually ended up putting pantomimes on.

“Then I did some work in the rep season, before getting a job as assistant manager at Theatre Colwyn, and ended up staying for the next 25 years.”

He said Theatr Colwyn holds a very special place in his heart as it is where he met and fell in love with his wife, Kandy, who was working there as an usherette.

He added he is looking forward to seeing what the next few years brings in both the theatre and the cinema, as Theatr Colwyn continues to thrive.

“It’s a really exciting time at Theatr Colwyn. Our audience numbers overall are doing very well and we hope to build on that with getting in first run films and continuing to work with all the local drama companies in the area.”

Phil, who is originally from Yorkshire, started off as a children’s entertainer and started learning the skills of a ventriloquist at an early age. “Most children get a bicycle to ride around, but I got a ventriloquist’s doll, which is unusual when you are eight years old.”