Local councillors have given a 'flick' of hope to Tenby that a new cinema facility could be coming soon to the resort.

Members of Tenby Town Council discussed a proposal at their meeting on Tuesday night, to consider submitting a bid for Heritage Lottery Grant funding to provide cinema facilities for the town at the De Valence Pavilion.

Tenby has been without a cinema since the Royal Playhouse on White Lion Street, which had been showing films for nearly a century, closed its doors over the Christmas period of 2010.

"Part of this proposal comes from seeing the top end of town reinvent itself, and it be so pleasing to see units full and active after the Gatehouse burnt down. We always asked could a cinema be retained for the town, and fair play, we tried, but it wasn't to be. But time and time again, people say that this town needs a cinema, and I agree," Clr. Mike Evans told his fellow councillors.

"I don't know where the best location would be, but it is a hope of mine that this could happen. We need projects for the town, and we have precepts, reserves and some funds available to look to the future, and a cinema would be high up on my list of provision for the town," he continued.

Clr. Evans said that the town council would need to consider approaching someone with expertise in securing lottery grant funding.

"At this stage we state our aim and wish which would be to look into funding opportunities, as we'd be looking at a million pounds plus for such a project in bringing a cinema inside the walled town."

Clr. Lawrence Blackhall backed the ambition of such a proposal for Tenby.

"We'd need a vision that would need quite a lot of work from a dedicated group, added with professional help and planning expertise, but I'd absolutely support the ambition and if we were to consider a cinema at the De Valence, I think that maintaining the facility as a multi-functional building, would be the right direction to go in," he commented.

Clr. Evans suggested that the town council work alongside the De Valence Trust to look into the feasibility of the project, to start the ball rolling.

"I think a feasibility study could be carried out to see what we can or can't do. I think if we all agree that something like this can be achieved, then our proposal should be to see our desire for a cinema within the town walls of Tenby, with the De Valence building a preferred option, but not our only option," added Clr. Evans.

The town clerk, Mr. Andrew Davies, said that a feasibility study carried out in 2003 on the De Valence, could make for a starting point, and that the topic could also form discussions as part of a scheduled meeting with PLANED next month, who were meeting with the town council to talk about developing a new 'Action Plan' for Tenby.