A Coalville community group is preparing an 'expression of interest' in turning the Old Market Hall into a cinema and leisure facility.

North West Leicestershire District Council has already put the site up for sale, saying a cinema could be a future use.

Now Coalville Community and Neighbours has collaborated with independent cinema founder Sam Lavington who has already opened a similar cinema in Skelmersdale.

Coalville CAN will now put together a proposal to redevelop the site with a two-screen cinema - 65 seats in each - along with a multi-use space in the same building that could be used for exhibitions or a Christmas ice rink.

The deadline for interested parties is April 17.

Deana Bamford, of Coalville CAN, revealed the plans in an open meeting at the group's offices on Wednesday night.

She said: "There's only one design like this in the country, it has so much potential.

"The building could be used for a wide range of things including a cinema.

"Love it or hate it the Market Hall could be turned into a venue to help put Coalville on the map as a great place to live, to work and to visit. 

"The building could be used for a wide range of activities including a cinema.

"We took Sam Lavington around the Market Hall on Wednesday.

An artist's impression of how the building could look. Image: Coalville CAN

"He is 76 and has spent his life opening cinemas, he has had quite a few across the country.

"Sam's a real character who has already tried to do something with the former Rex cinema.

"He knows his business and he wants the two-screen cinema in the Market Hall.

"As well as that there'll be a cafe, a museum, and it's affordable.

"He would invest his own money into the cinema element and will work along side the local community to make it happen.

"The cinema would only need a quarter of the Market Hall and the rest of one half could be a bouldering and soft play centre - both of which we have had interest from local people. (Bouldering being low-level climbing)

"The whole project would ensure the profits stay local and everyone benefits which wouldn't be the case if a cinema was built by one of the usual big boys."

The idea behind the scheme is that the cinema is only half of the site.

Deana added: "With the other half of the market hall there is scope to create a venue to enable different activities to happen, from an ice rink at Christmas and Coalville By the Sea in the summer - lots of people have shared ideas about other possible activities including go-karting, concerts, laser quest or skate ramps.

"This has benefits to enable people to experiment and see what works and what doesn't, and for the whole site to be enterprising. 

"There are other projects way more ambitious than this happening in other parts of the UK.

"Take Jess Steele from Hastings and East Marsh United in Grimsby - it's totally possible for a community take over - we just need to have some belief and make sure local people are at the heart of it."

Coalville CAN is a community co-op, anyone can be a member and therefore own this and other buildings.

Coalville CAN has already occupied one building near the clock tower.

If anyone is interested in helping out or wants to pop in contact [email protected] or call 01530 659789