Closed Oswestry cinema may become fresh venue for arts
Ambitious plans have been revealed to transform Oswestry's former Regal cinema into a multi-purpose arts venue.
The cinema closed in 1994 but today town resident Chas Nicholson said he would like to see the building brought back into use.
His plans are in the very early stages but he wants to create a community interest company to transform it into a venue for theatre and opera, cinema, conferences, music recitals, exhibitions and a space for education and community groups.
The old Regal cinema, in Leg Street, is on the market with Celt Rowlands & Co with the asking price of £475,000.
Mr Nicholson said if his vision became reality it would benefit the town. These benefits, he said, could include boosting the local economy, regenerating the town centre, enhancing the night-time economy and reducing the need for people to travel elsewhere for entertainment.
Mr Nicholson said it is an ambitious project. "The idea is to set up the community interest company and lobby to buy the former Regal cinema," he said. "The idea is to buy it for the town to be used as a multi-purpose centre for music, theatre, community and education use and so on. The aim is to establish a right to buy this and renovate it.
"It is a very expensive project, I wouldn't like to say how much it will cost. Once the community interest company has been established people can join the project."
A meeting about the initiative is planned to be held soon.
