Ambitious plans have been unveiled to reopen the empty and iconic Regent building on Deal seafront as a cinema, hopefully by November.

Two businessmen from Kingsdown, James Wallace, 33, and Mark Digweed, 36, have masterminded the proposals for Silver Screen Cinemas and hope the sale will be completed with the owners, the district council, as quickly as possible.

Mr Wallace said: "This is a fantastic project to push forward. My father Alexander, known as Sandy, entered the cinema industry in 1972, rising through the ranks to open his first cinema - Flicks - in Deal in 1986.

"Silver Screen Cinema was established the same year and has gone onto develop a further three thriving cinemas in Folkestone, Dover and Whitstable."

Mr Wallace, a former Deal Parochial pupil who went to Castle Community School, is in business with Mr Digweed, who attended Kingsdown Primary and Sandwich Technical School. They are both parents with two young daughters.

Mr Digweed said: "It is our intention to offer a quality and affordable experience to bring cinema goers back to their local cinema. There will probably be 260-270 seats, with luxury seating in the upper tier."

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