A disused listed bingo hall and former cinema in East Oxford will reopen as a 1,700-capacity community arts venue.

Oxford-based firm Solarview has taken on the management of the building in Cowley Road - which has been the Regal cinema and the Gala bingo hall - with plans to show films and stage live music.

Solarview managing director Adam Marsh said it would be the biggest live music venue in the city.

The Regal, at the junction with Magdalen Road, has stood empty for almost two years. Originally built as a cinema in 1937, it was converted into a bingo hall in 1970 but in October 2004 Gala Bingo quit the venue in favour of a new building at the Ozone leisure park.

Mr Marsh said the company hoped to turn it into a 'truly multipurpose venue'.

He added: "We want to do stage shows, live bands, people have even talked about using it for wedding parties and conferences.

"To make it pay, it's going to have to be doing a lot of different things.

"It's a big, big project but we are making a start."

Mr Marsh said Solarview hoped to put on a range of live music, classic films and other community events. There is even the possibility of bringing bingo nights back.

He said the Regal would be able to offer a larger audience capacity than any similar venue in the city, adding: "The Zodiac serves a purpose but there's nowhere that can effectively cater for 1,700 people, so for certain types of band it's going to be worthwhile.

"It will be the biggest capacity music venue in Oxford."

Mr Marsh hoped to keep as many original features as possible but a lot of work needed to be done to make the building useable.

He said the existing toilets and bars would need to be replaced and major structural work needed to be carried out on the floor.

The film projectors would need to be replaced by digital ones and removable seating installed to replace the existing, original seats.

Mr Marsh said he hoped the venue would cater for every taste.

He added: "We really want it to be a community venue, which is what the landlord wants."

Granted Grade II listed building status last year, features of the building, designed by cinema specialist Robert Cromie, include a very high auditorium with balcony reached through a elaborate foyer and staircase hall.

Columns at the front are typical of Cromie's work, which was influenced by Egyptian revival and art deco styles. The building retains its original floor, seats and projectors.