THE new cinema planned for Marlborough is taking another step towards fruition as fine detail plans for the Parade Cinema are before Marlborough town council's planning committee this evening.

The town council has already backed the listed building application to Wiltshire Council which is due to rule on the application in mid June. Problems with rotting joists in the old chapel had delayed work which could have seen the cinema open this Spring.

"In some ways we are quite pleased for the delays," said Robert Hiscox, chairman of Image Cinemas Ltd - the group behind the project. "Had we opened, then we would have soon had to shut anyway due to the coronavirus outbreak. We can accommodate for social distancing, but let's hope that in a year's time, when we could have this up and running, we might be through the worst of it."

The plans, which are widely expected to be rubber stamped are to change the use of the former chapel and the manse from retail and residential use to a 120 seater cinema and arts centre and restaurant. Subject to final approval, spades could be in the ground as early as August with tenders for the work going out for local businesses in June.

So far, around £1.5m has been raised locally to fund the project, and calls will soon be going out to raise a further £750k.

"We have had tremendous support from individuals in Marlborough investing in the cinema," said Robert. "It is a much needed resource for the town, and clearly people want it. There is a desperate lack of evening entertainment here. People come here and walk up and down the High Street to buy clothes and drink coffee - and Marlborough is a lovely place to do that. But we need more of an arts scene here, which, coupled with a decent eating scene will attract people to the town."

Marlborough’s last cinema opened in 1929 n the site of Waitrose supermarket.