DIGITAL WAY FORWARD

David Hambelton, one of the volunteers at the cinema, says the showing of films will become a thing of the past unless new digital technology is introduced.

He is supporting a bid for more than £600,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund to refurbish the building but has a warning.

“It has been stated that a future as a viable cinema is at the heart of the bid but this can only be the case if we are able to make the move from old fashioned film to digital,” he said.

He wants Tenbury Town Council to look for funding for digital equipment, which will cost a minimum of £60,000.

“Putting films onto digital format costs much less and this is the way that things are going. There are fewer films available on the old format and this trend will continue,” he said.