Estate agent turns producer to preserve cinema building

Now the likes of Clark Gable and Elizabeth Taylor have gone for good from the Elite Cinema in Leyburn – a hugely popular picture house built in the 1920s which shut its doors two years ago.

But the show will go on for the art deco building – as it has been announced work is soon to begin converting the cinema into offices and residential apartments.

Mike Charlton, principal of Charltons Estate Agents, who have made the offices available at 200,000 each, said: "For many people in Wensleydale, the old Elite Cinema provided a venue to visit as children to Saturday matinees, to do their courting as teenagers and to have well-served nights out as adults, where they could enjoy the biggest Hollywood and British blockbuster movies right on their doorstep.

"The redevelopment represents the passing of an era but the integrity of the building will be preserved."

The Elite, latterly known as The Picture House, closed in 2007 when the owners Geoff and Jude Simpson decided to retire after running the cinema for 13 years.

It was reopened seven months later, in January 2008, by a group of volunteers but shut its doors for good later that year.