Land Rover showroom Twisted to take over Edwardian cinema in Thirsk as motoring-themed hospitality space

Twisted, which specialises in producing bespoke personalised Land Rover Defenders, has lodged a planning application with Hambleton Council to extend its 8,500sq.ft Thirsk car showroom at the historic Gaiety Cinema premises in Long Street.

The firm has already replicated the original screen from the 1914 cinema for motoring-themed events and says it aims to create a “high level” hospitality suite and bedrooms for the exclusive use of its clients.

The move comes two years after the firm, which has cars priced at up to £225,000 before VAT on its website, expanded into a former tyre shop on Long Street to launch a dedicated showroom.

Twisted, which was established in 2000 and has workshops across the town and in Ripon, has already invested £400,000 refurbishing the premises, which has been home to motoring-related businesses since the cinema burned down in 1930.

The application documents state the showroom has “proved extremely successful” and as a result, the firm is seeking consent to increase the hospitality offer at the site, by creating a hospitality suite, and ancillary living accommodation on the first floor.

It states the business attracts a broad customer base across the country who often travel long distances to see the selection of Land Rover Defenders in the showroom and for sales events.