Marlborough cinema plan may be back on the cards
2:00pm Thursday 14th March 2013 in Latest News By Anna Mauremootoo
Marlborough could have a cinema within 18 months after a company offered to build a four-screen operation.
The Kennet Valley Arts Trust had planned to build a community theatre in the George Lane car park called the Riverbank but the project was dropped in 2010 because of a lack of funding.
But the plans have been revived now that the company, which specialises in building cinemas in market towns, has approached the Kennet Valley Arts Trust.
Brigadier John Cornell, chairman of KVAT, said he is hopeful that discussions with Wiltshire Council will take place in the next six weeks so that plans can progress.
He said: “A company approached us because they were interested in building a cinema in Marlborough and now the town council has endorsed this so discussions with Wiltshire Council can continue, which we are very pleased about, and I think everybody in Marlborough will be pleased about.
“Their concept is to build a four-screen cinema showing up-to-date films and live content such as opera from New York, ballet from St Petersburg 364 days a year which will attract children, teenagers, middle-aged and old people alike.
“There are thousands of people living within half an hour of Marlborough and we’d all be willing to travel half an hour to see a film. This will be good for the people of Marlborough and for the economy.”
On Monday a motion asking the town council to support Wiltshire Council’s decision to offer renewed use of the original site was passed by eight votes to three.
Coun Nick Fogg, who moved the motion, said: “KVAT have been approached by a classy establishment and it was my role to get Wiltshire Council interested again.
“They didn’t want Marlborough town council to say they hadn’t been consulted so now they have been and after years of waiting finally things can start to happen which is really good news.”
Brig Cornell does not know the overall cost of the project but is hopeful that Marlborough will have a cinema within 18 months.
He added: “KVAT are in a position to facilitate a company to come in and build a cinema on a site set aside for the Riverbank project because we’ve put a lot of money into archeological digs and environmental and flood risk assessments so that will save them time and money.”
