BADSEY-born impressionist Alistair McGowan has agreed to become patron of Evesham’s Regal Cinema – and a big weekend of entertainment featuring the man himself is being planned to celebrate.

Alistair will be the star attraction when he performs at The Regal Big Weekend on Saturday, December 12.

Manager of the Regal restoration project Laurence Wiper said he had been inundated with requests for tickets.

“We only announced that Alistair would be appearing on Friday – by Monday we had more than 80 requests for tickets.

“The response has been unprecedented; we have never known anything like it,” he said. He added that he and his colleagues were ‘delighted’ that Alistair had agreed to become patron of the cinema.

“This shows his commitment and willingness to helping us with the project. It is great to have him as a figurehead, on board and part of the team.”

The big weekend begins on Friday, December 11, with a charity auction and live entertainment featuring three musical acts. It continues on the following day with doors opening at 6pm with live music on offer up until 7pm when Alistair McGowan takes to the stage.

He has squeezed the performance into his current tour of the UK entitled The One and Many, which began in Evesham at the arts centre on Victoria Avenue.

The restoration project is still very much on track and the team is currently waiting to receive a grant from Advantage West Midlands enabling them to begin structural work on the building.

They also hope to open a coffee shop at the cinema – possibly by the turn of the year.

For further information and tickets, call 01386 421007, e-mail tickets@theregal.ac or visit the regal.ac