Oswestry's landmark cinema building is now back in use as a charity shop
One of Oswestry's landmark buildings has been brought back into use – with council chiefs hoping the move will signal an upturn in the town's fortunes.
The YMCA charity has taken up a temporary lease at the former Regal Cinema building in Leg Street.
The cinema closed in 1994 and most recently the building was used by the Seconds Ahead fashion store before it shut down.
Bosses at the YMCA store said they were delighted to have brought the historic building back into use and said they had been overwhelmed by the response from the Oswestry public after the new business opened its doors for the first time on Wednesday.
Julie Vaughan, shop support worker, said: "We have been blown away by the response. It took us more than five weeks to get the place ready.
"When I first came here and saw the building I just thought 'wow, what a fantastic building'.
"It is something very unusual to be working from an old cinema building.
"We have not changed anything as far as the structure is concerned so if we move out and anyone wanted to use the building after us everything has been left the same.
"We have a temporary lease here, which means we will move out if somebody else wants to move in.
"Hopefully we can stay for a long time because I think we will do well here.
"We have been meeting the Oswestry public for the first time and they have been absolutely fantastic, really polite and very supportive to us."
Oswestry mayor Martin Bennett said he was pleased to see the landmark building brought back into use.
He said: "I think it is always better to have a building in use than not and have an empty building in the town centre. Empty buildings are an eyesore on the High Street.
"I would sincerely hope this does signal better times for the town."
Meanwhile a steering group is being set up to take forward ambitious long term plans to convert the former cinema into a multi-purpose entertainment venue.
Campaigners hope to buy the building, which could cost up to £500,000, and create a new development to benefit the community. The plans would see the building become a venue for theatre and opera, cinema, conferences, recitals, exhibitions and a space for education and community groups.
