On Monday, 23 January 2017 - Milton Keynes turned 50 years old. Celebrations have been held in one of the UK's fastest-growing towns. Milton Keynes might have its detractors and critics - especially for the famous concrete cows and the endless roundabouts but many businesses have used MK as their home to make their money and there has been plenty of impressive history about MK. For example, did you know that Cliff Richard used the City Centre in MK to record his music video of the 1981 hit 'Wired for Sound?'
Another 1980s landmark that made its impact on UK society was the opening of 'The Point' - Britain's first multiplex cinema.
As Milton Keynes turns 50, I look back at some of its historical landmarks and events over the years.
The British cinema industry was not in the best of shape in the early 1980s. Huge sales on the video recorder and a growing TV audience network were doing damage to its reputation. Fast forward to 2017 and TV habits have changed and the video recorder is no more too which indicates technology's rapid-changing force.
Back in the 1980s and the video/TV factor meant the cinema date or night out was fast becoming a thing of the past. Something had to be done to create buzz and spectacle back into the industry.
A multiplex first
What it needed was a new groundbreaking moment in a new town. Cue 'The Point,' cue Milton Keynes.
Opening in November 1985, 'The Point' on Midsummer Boulevard became the UK's first multiplex cinema, with multiple movies being shown in 10 separate screens. This new neon-lined pyramid shape building might look out-of-date in 2017, but in the mid-1980s, was seen as a spectacular landmark. AMC Theatres were the first company to run it and it was immediately a success.
'The Point' was seen as not only the building that put the coolness back into UK cinema, it was seen as the location that saved the industry from petering into obscurity. Before the 1980s were out, Newcastle, Telford and Warrington were other UK areas that got their first multiplex cinemas.
The success of 'The Point' wasn't good news for local cinemas in Bletchley and Newport Pagnell.
Profits dropped and both were forced to close their doors; simply unable to compete with this new cinema experience.
In 1989, AMC sold up to UCI, who would operate the cinema for the next 14 years. It wasn't just a cinema complex either. A games arcade, pizza restaurant and bar/nightclub was housed as was Gala Bingo. In 1991, the Duchess of York attended a film premiere at 'The Point,' - Harrison Ford's Presumed Innocent movie which grossed $220m worldwide.
However as Milton Keynes developed into the 21st century, 'The Point' would be left behind in the 20th century.
Outdone by competition
When Xscape opened in 2000, a 16-screen multiplex cinema was included, ran by Cineworld. With two multiplex choices now and only a few minutes walk between the pair, most cinema fans would choose the modernised Cineworld.
UCI left 'The Point' in 2003 and the building's decline was well underway.
easyCinema and ODEON both tried to recapture former glories but it just wasn't meant to be. Business had gone elsewhere. Although the bingo venue remained, the pizza restaurant closed with Pizza Hut and Pizza Express making their mark and the nightclub also closed in 2007 as it struggled to compete with the likes of Opus, Oceania and Revolution.
On 26 February 2015, 'The Point' was closed down. ODEON moved to a new 11-screen cinema complex near the MK Dons football stadium in Denbigh. 30 years of history was over. Demolition is expected in the near future but no date has been set yet for one of MK's most iconic landmarks to disappear from the skyline forever.
It would ultimately be a victim of its own success but 'The Point's' legacy and place in UK cinema history will remain intact.
