REPAIRS are being made to a historic building after developers made a U-turn on plans to demolish it.

Initially, owners of the Palladium Cinema in Oswaldtwistle wanted to level the building and redevelop the site after Hyndburn Council issued a notice to carry out repairs.

The building’s owners Kingsway Inns Ltd said this seemed to be their best option at the time for the building, which was also used as a bingo hall in its heyday.

However the company, which has already been granted permission to demolish the building, now hope it can be brought back into use.

After receiving interest from potential buyers, the company said it planmed to sell after some general refurbishments, primarily to the roof, are made.

The Union Road building, close to Oswaldtwistle Mills, is listed on Cinema Treasures, a website that aims to protect historic and under-treat theatres.

Stuart Nutall at Kingsway said a price had not yet been set but that they were ‘open to offers’.

He said: “There seemed to be no real use for the building.

"However one interested buyer thinks it could be used as an Asian wedding venue.

"Another approached us with an idea to develop a climbing wall at the site.

“If we can save the building it would be much better because it has real character and the brickwork is sound. Hopefully we can generate some interest and find a new use for it.”

Repair work, which was ordered to be carried out by the borough council, has seen repairs to the roof and guttering with vegetation removed from the site.

The dilapidated 1,000-seat cinema was originally opened in 1934.

In 2004, it was targeted by arsonists and has remained in a poor state ever since.

Mike Booth, the chairman of Oswaldtwistle Civic Society, said: “It is excellent news that it is structurally sound and that so many ideas have been put forward.

"I’m sure the space could be put to good use and it would bring enterprise to the area.

"It has gotten so dilapadated that it is not seen as asset to the area but restorations of these buildings can be remarkable.”