Campaigners came together once again to demand action to restore a rundown former cinema as its owners face potential enforcement action.

Huge crowds gathered outside historic The Regent on the seafront on Monday with the hope that it will soon be brought back to life.

The building has fallen into major disrepair since it became vacant 14 years ago.

Owners James Wallace and Mark Digweed were granted planning permission to reopen the cinema with two screens and a restaurant in July 2019, but permission has now expired.

Fresh plans to regenerate the building were expected ‘any day’ in February, but campaigners from Reopen the Regent, desperate for the site to return to its former glory, say they are still waiting to see them.

More than 150 people from the group joined protests on Bank Holiday Monday outside the venue in Beach Street calling for owners to take immediate action.

The group’s chairman Fay Franklin said: “After excellent plans expired in July 2022 (shortly after a somewhat inevitable fire at the building), we were told there would be new plans before the end of the year, then early in 2023.

“It has been almost a year since the previous plans expired, and there isn’t a reason for them not to have put them forward.

“Deal is a thriving town with everything from young families to older people, residents, visitors and holiday makers, all of whom would use a cinema.

“We have a film festival, a museum of the moving image, but we don’t have a cinema.

“We are a very artistic, creative town and a cinema is the one thing Deal is lacking.

“The Regent is a beautiful building for it, it is an iconic part of the seafront, it’s the perfect location.

“We would like to see the plans as soon as possible.

“It would be lovely to see plans we could give our backing to but we won’t be holding our breath.

“The people of Deal have had enough – it’s time for action now!’

The Regent first opened in 1928 as a concert hall for military bands.

It became The Regent cinema in 1933 but shut in 1963.

It was turned into a bingo hall but that closed in 2009. It has been empty since.

Four fire engines were sent to the site last summer after a fire was started in the derelict building.

Crews were at the scene for nearly three hours but nobody was injured.

Dover District Council says it will continue to work with the owners of the building to find a solution.

MP Natalie Elphicke said enforcement action could be taken soon.

She said: "I've been supporting calls for progress on the Regent. It's frankly an eyesore on Deal's seafront.

"Dover District Council (DDC) has confirmed to me that enforcement action may be on the cards if the owners don't deliver.

“I'm looking forward to seeing plans coming forward as soon as possible that also secure community benefit for Deal."

The owners have been approached for comment.