Picture house gets new look

4:23pm Tuesday 20th May 2008

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A CENTURY-old valleys cinema is set for a £200,000 facelift.

Blaenau Gwent Council has made a planning application to improve the appearance of the 110-year-old Brynmawr Cinema and Library.

Funding from the Welsh Assembly is expected for the project.

Work, which the council says should cost £200,000, includes removing the 30 year old green metal cladding to inspect the state of the stone work underneath it, replacement of windows and doors, new signage and new lighting.

Brynmawr councillor John Hopkins said the work would improve the exterior of the building, which has deteriorated over the years.

He said: "There's nothing wrong with the structure of it but we want to bring it up to the standard of other buildings in the town, which have already received refurbishment."

The former council leader welcomed the plan, saying it was not a contentious issue in the council.

"It is one of the few council owned cinema's in Wales and the only one in Blaenau Gwent," he said.

"The cinema is doing very well, it has first class films and and is still very popular with young people.

"This work will protect its future."

It is not thought the project would affect the operation of the cinema or the library, he said.

"It is purely an external project - the internal part of the cinema has been refurbished and all the cinema equipment has been renewed."

A decision on the planning application is expected on June 2.