Designed by Thomas Braddock, its iconic landmark tower and magnificent design make an important contribution to the streetscape of Ayr and Burns Statue Square. This beautiful art deco 4-screen cinema is Merlin Cinemas’ second site in Scotland, the first being Caithness, Thurso and is a much-loved local landmark for the community. Merlin is an established cinema brand, having started almost 35 years ago with a single-screen venue in Penzance, and now operating over 18 cinemas across the country, with their most recent opening being the Plaza Cinema, Weston-super-Mare, which opened in December 2023. Merlin has repurposed several heritage buildings so that all communities can continue to enjoy cinema experiences at affordable prices. Standard tickets are priced from £5, and there are further savings to be made with Merlin’s Movie Magic card, offering Big Screen entertainment at the Small Price of just £4 all year round, providing some of the best value cinema-going in the country. The Astoria debuted on 29th March, 2024 and hosts a range of hotly anticipated new release films. The regular programme features special revival screenings of cinema favourites with Merlin’s Big + Mini Movie Deal seasons and event cinema productions like opera, ballet, theatre and music concerts. The Astoria also accommodates regular Parent and Baby, relaxed (autism-friendly) and subtitled screenings for the hard of hearing as well as Merlin’s popular Silver Screen strand that includes a hot drink and biscuits included in the ticket price.
