VOLUNTEERS fighting to save an historic cinema are celebrating news that the building could reopen sooner than expected.

Worthing Council closed the seafront Dome cinema on April 6 because it believed structural steel joists were corroding and the building could be dangerous.

Work to rectify the problem was expected to take months, and the Grade II listed building might remain closed until work starts to restore it in 18 months.

The Dome, which opened in 1911 and is owned by the council, is believed to be the longest continuously-running cinema in the country.

A site survey by the council's engineers had revealed two of the 34 roof joists were deteriorating.

The discovery forced the council to close the Dome with the loss of 14 jobs.

But a further survey by engineers from the council, English Heritage and the Worthing Dome and Regeneration Trust has found the problem is not as bad as was feared.

It is now hoped the remedial work will only take a couple of weeks.

The Trust is to buy the building from the council, providing it receives funding from English Heritage and the lottery. It wants to spend £4 million restoring the building to its former glory.

Chris Slade, spokesman for the Trust, said: "The council was only erring on the side of caution, but I'm pleased that the damage is not as bad as we thought." He added the building might be able to reopen in July or August.

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