THE race to secure the future of Clitheroe's Civic Hall Cinema has been won.

Trinity Community Partnership was declared the winner after offering £100,000 to buy the cinema from Ribble Valley Borough Council.

Last night councillors on the community committee wholeheartedly backed Trinity's bid after it was recommended by a cinema working group.

The bid, which was rivalled by Preston Film Services owner John Williamson who currently runs the cinema and offered £30,000 to buy it, states that the building will continue to operate as a cinema.

But future developments could include an alcohol-free bar/cyber cafe, recording/rehearsal rooms, workshop/meeting space and a gallery. It could also become home to a theatre, a music and dance studio and a community radio station.

Coun John Hill said that the council had a duty to accept the highest tender to achieve best value for the people of the Ribble Valley and added that Trinity would do its best to ensure that the cinema would prosper. And Coun Philip Nierop said: "Its good news for both the people of Clitheroe and the ratepayers of the Ribble Valley. Clitheroe will indeed be well-served by Trinity. The outcome of this civic saga is truly a win-win situation."

Coun Graham Sowter followed on saying that Trinity has been Clitheroe's "generous benefactor", but stressed that the working group should continue its functions by establishing a partnership between the council and Trinity.

Councillors also thanked Mr Williamson for his bid, which they believed was vital in the cinema's rescue.

The council was set to close the cinema because of falling attendances, but gave it a stay of execution when Trinity came up with a rescue package.

The cinema was costing taxpayers £40,000 a year in subsidy but the partnership proposed to turn it into a multi-arts centre.

The scheme beat an offer by Preston to run the cinema with a reduced subsidy and councillors unanimously backed it because of it was the strongest option for attracting investment.

But then Mr Williamson entered he race with a formal offer to buy the cinema. He proposed to restore it and make it viable by running it alongside his cinema at Longridge.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.