Shropshire Star

Ambitious £750,000 plan to develop old Oswestry cinema site

A group of Oswestrians are putting together ambitious proposals to regenerate the town's former cinema and a building which has been derelict for decades.

Published
Last updated
The former Regal Cinema in Oswestry

Bob Knowles and his wife Ingrid, along with four other people, are forming plans to take over the former Regal Cinema and nearby B Wise building in a move that could cost £750,000.

The group are aiming to form a community interest initiative and transform the buildings into a community space that could be used as for education, entertainment or as a social hub.

Mr Knowles said there has already been interest from people looking to back a scheme, and insists it is a great opportunity to breathe new life into a disused area of the town.

He said: "Me and my wife have worked in education and in the arts for years, and we saw this come up and came up with an idea for it.

"We spoke to the agents and then thought what if we put it out to a few people and so we plan to hold a meeting next month to discuss ideas, and over 100 people will be attending.

"We want it to be a community space, but everything is possible.

Sustainable

"It would involve the B Wise building and the old cinema combined, which could include a cinema.

"There is a chef interested in a space, there would be committee rooms to hire and the rent would fund the building to make it self sustainable.

"The idea is it would be held in a trust by trustees and by the community and we would look for shareholders and various other schemes such as lottery funding.

"We have been contacted by the county council, and Oswestry BID are behind us."

The group has organised a session at Oswestry Memorial Hall from 10.30am-4.30pm on Sunday February 10 to collect more feedback on the plan.

To express interest in attending the event go to communityoswestry@gmail.com.

Mr Knowles acknowledged it was a big plan, but it is still a work in progress and the meeting next month is to gather the community's views.

He was also confident the funding could be obtained to make it happen.

He added: "The figure at the moment for the buildings is £750,000. That is what we've been told but that would be negotiable.

"It is a lot to raise but we will be looking at Big Lottery funding and will be hoping to get the backing from local wealthy folk. Someone has already offered £10,000 to get things going."