Warmer Times Promised

A PERMANENT solution has been found to the loss of heating at the Regal cinema in Tenbury.

Contractors are removing the kerosene system that was condemned by health watchdogs and a new electric boiler will be installed.

The work on the installation and changes to the ventilation in the cinema will be undertaken next week and the new system is expected to be up and running by the middle of October.

A deal between the town council, which owns the cinema, and heating contractor  means that  the  oil - based  system is being replaced without cost to the authority. The town council will only need to pick up the bill for ancillary work such as the ventilation.

The electrical supply to the cinema, which seats 250 people, will also be upgraded to enable it to cope with the extra power that will be needed to heat the electric boiler.

“ We have  found a long-term solution and there should be no reason for any bookings at the Regal to have to be cancelled,” said Richard Jones, Mayor of Tenbury.

“If there are any delays to bringing the new system on stream, which we are not anticipating, then temporary arrangements will be made but I do not expect that to be necessary.”

The heating system at the Regal was replaced only last year after the devastation caused by the flooding of 2007.

But the town council was shocked when it was told by health and safety experts in the summer that it did not meet current standards.

As a result, the heating had to be turned off and the kerosene fuel removed from tanks in the building in Teme Street.

The council then began the process of looking for an alternative system and negotiating with its heating contractor.

The council expects a bill of be tween £10,000 and £12,000, which is less than had been feared.

At one time, it had been feared that the authority would either have to dip into its reserves or make a bid for money from the Public Loans Board.

By Adrian Kibbler Tenbury Advertiser

2nd October 2009