UPDATE (January 20): The Rio Theatre issued a press release stating that they have been informed by the Liquor Control and Licensing Branch that they can no longer show any movies at the Rio. Please read this article for more details.

January 19:

The Rio Theatre has finally received its liquor-primary licence for live events. And it arrived just in the "nick of time", according to Rio Theatre owner and operator Corinne Lea.

"We are just thrilled. Absolutely thrilled," she told the Straight by phone. "Because there's been a lot of stress waiting for it. As you know, we're watching other independent theatres dropping like flies around us, and we really didn't know if we were going to get it. So it's a huge relief."

The application for the licence, which the Rio sought so that the venue could serve alcohol at live events, began in November 2010. On October 20, 2011, Vancouver city council endorsed their application but they still needed provincial approval.

Yet even with a liquor licence, the BC Liquor Control and Licencing Act does not allow licenced cultural venues to sell alcohol at film screenings.

On November 22, MLA Spencer Chandra Herbert presented a petition, initiated by the Rio Theatre, with 2,000 signatures to the legislature to change these provincial laws.

Lea says that they are continuing with the petition. "We've got almost 2,500 signatures now and we're hoping to get more until we get the law changed."

The Manitoba Liquor Control Commission and the Manitoban provincial government announced on January 12 that it would amend its Liquor Control Act to permit alcohol service at a multiplex theatre. "We're hoping that B.C. is going to be the next province to follow suit," Lea said.

According to Lea, the entire application process cost the Rio an estimated $15,000, in addition to spending large amounts of time on the issue. She says that they had to pace themselves financially and that she doesn't know what they would have done if it had taken a few more months.

"It was very difficult for us to function when we were this in-between place," she said. "Because I didn't know when I was going to get the license, I'd have to go ahead with my bookings. We usually book three months in advance. So as you can imagine, it was very difficult for me to schedule anything where I had no idea whether or not I was going to have a liquor license…. I kinda compared it to running a marathon and someone keeps changing the finish line…. We just never knew when it was going to end."

On January 26, the Rio is celebrating its success with an evening of live burlesque and 1940s jazz music, featuring Pandora and the Locksmiths.

Lea said that the event is also a way of thanking everyone who helped them through this lengthy process.

"The public have a sense of ownership with their local theatres, and the Rio especially because we really engage with the community. So I know people were very passionate about us staying here so their support was a really big part of our success."

She explained that the licence gives the Rio a future. "Honestly, we couldn't survive without it. The liquor licence is really going to make the difference as far as us being financially viable or not."

Over the past year, a few movie theatres closed down, including Richmond Centre 6 Cinemas, the 75-year-old Hollywood Theatre, and Empire Oakridge Cinemas. Numerous DVD rental outlets also shut down.

Meanwhile, Cineplex Entertainment opened up five VIP cinemas at SilverCity Coquitlam in December. The upscale theatres offer more sophisticated food and drink items, and the company is also hoping to obtain a liquor licence as well.

Over the past decade, the Rio Theatre, originally built in 1938, changed hands a few times.

Mukesh (Mike) Goyal reopened the theatre as the Rio on Broadway in 2006. In May 2008, a group of investors bought the Rio Theatre, and Lea became one of the owners. Then in May 2011, Festival Cinemas bought the Rio property, while Lea remained owner of the venue.

You can follow Craig Takeuchi on Twitter at twitter.com/cinecraig.