Quad is a haven for outsiders. It would break my heart to see it close

ONCE saw the most boring film I have ever seen at the Quad in Derby city centre.

- GEORGE ALLEN

The first five minutes were spent watching a racecar go round and round a track. I've blocked out the rest of the flick, and its name, from my memory. But watching a movie at this cinema and arts venue is always a matter of pot luck.

I also saw one of the best I've ever seen at the same place. It was Another Year, a Mike Leigh film, featuring a husband and wife and their friends navigating the little moments that come with difficult mates, social niceties and death. It helped that some scenes were set in Derby and there were a couple of references to the Rams.

The Quad has had a difficult time of it recently. In July 2024, it admitted it was in “serious financial difficulty” due to the pandemic changing people's habits. There was some blame directed at the state of the Market Place area.

Bosses successfully applied for a £150,000 loan from Derby City Council to see the venue through. This month, we reported that the Quad had deferred on the loan but intended to pay it back in full, with payments to resume in October.