CLEVEDON's Curzon Cinema has paid tribute to its "dear and loyal friend" Howard Coggins.

Howard, who made up Living Spit with Stu Mcloughlin, sadly passed away on November 1 at age 52.

Posting on Facebook, a spokesperson from the cinema said: "We were deeply saddened to hear that Howard Coggins, longtime friend of the Curzon, died last week after a short illness.

"Howard was a Trustee of the Curzon for seven years until 2021. He was a wise presence who never allowed a casual assumption to be unchallenged, and Board meetings were always huge fun with him round the table.

"His laughter was so rich and infectious, it must have been audible to filmgoers during Trustee meetings.

"He was a dear and loyal friend of the Curzon. He will always be remembered for his brilliant voice-over for the ‘Gromit-in-the-rain’ clip, made to fundraise for the roof restoration.

"His rich voice, mixing pathos and menace, coming before every screening during the campaign prompted audiences to give generously, contributing substantially to the restored and leak-free roof we have today.

"He had ambitions for Clevedon to be a real creative and cultural hub and his enthusiasm and determination still drive us today."