A COUNCILLOR has accused borough bosses of taking too many risks to make sure Accrington gets a cinema.

At a meeting of the full council, Coun Ken Curtis demanded to know why Hyndburn was paying a bridging loan of £100,000 to help instigate the development of the new cinema complex.

But Tory representative Paul Travis said the promise of a cinema was what helped the Conservatives take control of the council in the first place.

The cinema, being developed by Globe Enterprises, a firm in which the council has a one-third share, is due to be built on land off Hyndburn Road in Accrington town centre. London-based cinema company Metroplex is to run the four-screen cinema, while North Lancashire-based Osprey will run the 20-lane bowling alley.

Planning permission was granted two weeks ago, despite claims that pedestrians would risk their lives trying to get to it because there wasn't a suitable pedestrian crossing.

Hearing about the £100,000 loan to Globe, Coun Curtis said: "It astonishes and shocks me that we, as the council, are the only partner putting any money forward to get the project started. We aren't even asking for interest on the loan. That surely isn't in our best interests. We are supposed to get good value for our activities, and this doesn't represent good value.

"What if the project doesn't succeed? We are the only partner to get our fingers burnt.

"We can easily find £100,000 to support a private project but we can't find £7,000 to repair playgrounds.

"I think the public are missing out.

I want to see a cinema in the town but not at any cost." Coun Wendy Dwyer added: "What if it proves to be uneconomical and the cinema pulls out?

"What will happen then?"

The meeting was told the council wouldn't pay the money until it was sure the project was viable.

A feasibility study has already proved that people would use the venue, which comprises a five-screen cinema, 20-lane bowling alley and a fast food restaurant.

Tenants for all three have been found.

Coun Paul Travis, vice chairman of regeneration said: "We won the election by promising to bring a cinema to this town.

"This is how the majority of the voters want their money spent."

The campaign for the cinema was launched by a 13-year-old girl fed up of travelling to Blackburn and Burnley to watch the latest film releases.