Fabric firm hopes to use old cinema
THE latest plans for the old Savoy Cinema in South Molton were set to go before the town council's planning committee yesterday (Tuesday) evening.
Paula Dormer of fabric specialists the Partridge and Pear Tree Ltd was hoping councillors would approve a temporary change of use from auction rooms to retail.
She told the Gazette that owner Devon Property Developments Ltd had offered her business a two-year rental agreement on the property in New Road.
"Since we opened in February 2005, the business has proved very popular and we are looking to move to bigger premises.
"Our shop in East Street is incredibly tiny and we currently have fabric stored in three different locations in South Molton.
"The old cinema is a great building and as well as enabling us to store all our stock in one place, it will give us office space," she added.
The fate of the Art Deco-inspired Savoy, built in 1935, lay in the balance until September last year, when plans to convert the building into flats were rejected by North Devon District Council.
The building ceased to be a cinema in the 1970s and since then has been a bingo hall, public entertainment venue, retail outlet and in recent years an auction house until its closure in 2003. It was bought at auction by current owners for £174,500 in 2005.
Today (Wednesday) and tomorrow, the Partridge and Pear Tree is holding a three-day fabric sale at the Savoy.
"We will be selling lots of designer fabrics from mills, fabric design and clearance houses at greatly reduced priced," said Paula.
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