Excitement is growing in Waltham Forest as the installation of twinkling lights and the buzz in the air confirms there is just eight days left until the opening of Walthamstow’s own 1200 seat cinema.

After the opening on Thursday the new Empire Cinema will show 14 blockbusters in one week.

In fact, Empire bosses have predicted every month they will sell 5000 tubs of popcorn, 1,500 litres of Ben & Jerry’s ice-cream, 6,000 litres of fizzy drinks – enough to fill two London buses.

Following the grand opening on Thursday films available to view will include Christopher Nolan’s ground-breaking Interstellar, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part One, The Imitation Game and Nativity three: Dude, Where's My Donkey?

Empire has also primised to screen over 30 of the best Bollywood films, including Welcome Back, the sequel to 2007’s Welcome (2007) by director Anees Bazmee.

Empire Cinemas Walthamstow will host weekly Parent & Baby Screenings with the lights up and the sound down to create a stress free zone for adults and children of up to 2 years old.

The Scene will also include 121 new homes, shops and restaurants, including Nando’s, Pizza Express and Turtle Bay, as part of a multi-million pound investment in Walthamstow Town