A cinema and theatre will get a revamp costing more than £3 million if plans get the go-ahead.

The owners of the Picturedrome and the Hotham Arts Centre in Bognor have announced redevelopment plans for both buildings.

But they have warned that should the £100 million regeneration of the town include a new theatre and cinema complex on the Hotham Arts Centre site, the Picturedrome would be forced to close.

Under the development agreement signed between Arun District Council and developers St Modwen, an entertainment centre does not have to be provided in the final scheme.

If one is not, St Modwen would have to pay the council a fine of £5.2 million.

Hugh Coster, deputy chairman of the Bognor Regis Civic Society, said the potential for the fine to be imposed made the future of arts in the town uncertain and paved the way for more flats on the site.

He said: "We are extremely concerned that the maths of it suggests that it would be in St Modwen's and Arun's interests not to replace the theatre.

"They have an incentive not to do so and that's of serious concern."

Under the plans for the two buildings announced by manager of the two sites Adam Cunard of the Electric Theatre Company, the cinema would get a total revamp including all new seats, three new screens boosting it to five and new carpets and decor.

The company is in talks with long-term tenant Rick's Cafe, located in part of the building which would become one of the new screens.

The other two would be built in the car park at the rear of the building.

Plans for the Hotham Arts Centre include a new glass-fronted extension, increasing the seating capacity from 364 to 520 people and creating a new cafe and bar.

But if St Modwen does deem the building of a new arts centre on the Hotham Arts Centre site feasible and finds a suitable tenant, a death knell would be sounded for the Picturedrome.

Mr Cunard said: "If that happens the Picturedrome would close.

"We can't sustain two cinemas in the town.

"I would be sad to see it go because I used to go there as a boy.

"We would not want to lose the building."

But Mr Cunard also said that the Electric Theatre Company was in the bidding to run the new entertainment complex that could be built by St Modwen.

He said an exhibition of the plans for both sites would be on public display in March.

First opened in 1886 as an assembly hall, the Picturedrome was converted into a cinema and opened its doors on June 15, 1919.

Although not a listed building, it is in an area of Bognor which is designated as of historical importance by Arun District Council.

In a letter to Arun District Council, Bognor Town Council said it greeted the regeneration plans with "dismay".

It said: "In summary, the town council regrets that it cannot support the current outline proposals as they appear to provide no net benefit to the town or wider area in terms of attractions, facilities or infrastructure that is needed for long-term economic enhancement."

Arun council leader Gill Brown has said the council and St Modwen were "fully committed" to building a new theatre in Bognor.

She said refurbishing the existing building was not an option as it was in the middle of the development site.

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