Part of former Debenhams in Bury St Edmunds could be transformed into Everyman Cinema

Plans have been submitted to transform the basement of the former Debenhams in Bury St Edmunds into a cinema.

Bury WM Unit Trust has drawn up proposals for an Everyman Cinema in part of the basement at the former department store in the arc shopping centre.

It has sought permission from West Suffolk Council for flexible use for retail and a cinema which would also contain a small bar/restaurant.

A planning statement said the ground and first floors of the building would remain in retail use and a national retailer has expressed an interest in the space.

The cinema would feature four screens and a smaller screen for private hire with 306 seats in total.

The statement said 15 full and 15 part time jobs would be created.

Mark Cordell, chief executive of Our Bury St Edmunds Business Improvement District, welcomed the potential use of the empty building but was 'surprised' the plans were for a cinema given the town's Cineworld was looking to expand and Abbeygate Cinema had opened a new larger screen.

"Having said that Bury is becoming more and more a centre for entertainment and I'm sure the owners have thoroughly researched this and arrived at their conclusion that it's the right place for them to open a business," he said.

"By utilising the basement it does still allow the possibility of a large retailer on the first two floors."

The proposed opening hours of the Everyman would be 9am to 2.30am Monday to Sunday, with a 'limited number of exceptions to 3.30am when blockbuster releases are made, and a midnight screening is scheduled'.

The restaurant would have a maximum of 100 covers.

Pedestrian access to the cinema would be from Prospect Row/Gosnold Street.

The planning statement said it would 'promote the vitality and viability of the town centre' by securing a leisure and entertainment use and a new cinema would 'extend choice and convenience'.

The Everyman Group has 36 cinemas across the UK and its food and drink menu usually includes antipasti, pizzas, burgers, milkshakes, hot drinks and alcoholic drinks.

Food and drink can be delivered to customers in screens.

The first Everyman was in Hampstead, dating back to 1933, and the company was founded when it bought the venue in 2000.

In 2008, it bought a number of cinemas in London and has since expanded across the country.

The plans would take the number of cinemas in Bury St Edmunds to three with Cineworld in Parkway and Abbeygate Cinema in Hatter Street.

Plans to expand the town's Cineworld were approved in April 2020 but the coronavirus pandemic cast doubt on when the project would go ahead.

The proposals included two additional screens, as well as a new lobby, cafe and lounge.

In July 2020, Abbeygate Cinema unveiled its 180-seater premier screen.

The manager of the independent cinema has said they embrace the potential arrival of a new picture house chain in the town.

Debenhams, which shut last May, was the arc's flagship store and opened at the launch of the shopping centre in 2009.

The struggling department store disappeared from the high street following a multi-million pound takeover of the brand by the Boohoo Group which excluded its shops.