Sidmouth's Radway Cinema has been awarded more than £42,000 from the Government's Culture Recovery Fund.

Eligible cinemas were able to apply for safety grants, to help pay for Covid-secure measures to protect staff and audiences, and larger business sustainability grants to help stabilise them financially.

The Sidmouth cinema has been given a safety grant of £1,369 and a business sustainability grant of £40,774.

The grants have been administered by the British Film Institute on behalf of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

The latest round of funding has seen 201 independent cinemas across England receive a total of £16 million from the £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund

'Independent cinemas are hubs and lifelines for communities'

The Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said: "The magic of film is such an important part of the festive period and this investment will help protect our independent cinemas so they're around for many Christmases to come.

"Alongside it, the extension of the Film and TV Production Restart Scheme means the UK will be producing even more great content as the cinema industry recovers, keeping us at the forefront of the creative industries."

The BFI's chief executive Ben Roberts said: "Across the country, local independent cinemas are hubs and lifelines for communities and often the only form of culture and entertainment.

"From educational programmes and workshops for young people, to screenings for the elderly and audiences with specialised needs, these cinemas play such an important role in people's lives.

"The Culture Recovery Fund will mean that many of these cinemas survive the current crisis, and go on to play a vital role in the recovery of local economies and communities, bringing people together to offer joy, solace and the magic of the big screen."