A Tenby councillor has said that the town council were forced to look at the 'the bigger picture' when they gave their backing to a recent application to vary the conditions of a planning scheme for the town's former cinema.

The application, recently submitted by South Terrace Properties Ltd. to the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority, in respect of plans previously approved for the Royal Playhouse Cinema in White Lion Street. which would allow for a change of use of the premises, was recommended for approval by members of the town council, although the National Park Authority's development management committee, refused the proposals.

Speaking at Tuesday night's meeting of the town council, Clr. Mrs. Christine Brown took the opportunity to respond to criticism the council had received for backing the plans for a possible change of use of the cinema building.

"In a letter recently published in the Observer, this council was called 'pusillanimous' in making the decision we did to support the developers, but we are not cowardly and did not make the decision lightly," she said.

"Yes, we would all like a cinema to remain in Tenby, but at this stage we are all waiting for the development to progress and felt that if we refused that aspect of the application, then we might jeopardise the development.

"Tenby is fed up of waiting for things to happen, so we had to look at the bigger picture on this application, and it's interesting that the National Park's planning officers also agreed with us to look at broadening the D2 use at the facility.

"We have not had the wool pulled over our eyes and I'm sure that reason will prevail, but not if we wait for a new cinema," added Clr. Mrs. Brown.