CINEMA plans for an empty building in the heart of Abingdon are picking up pace with the submission of an application to bring the venue in line with health and safety law.

The Abbey Hall has been closed since August 2015 but film lovers in the town were given reason to celebrate when the town council, which owns the building, agreed in April a rental deal until the summer of 2020 with the Regal Cinema.

Husband and wife Ian and Sue Wiper, who own the independent cinema based in Evesham,Worcestershire, had written to the authority in January asking it to consider letting them use the Guildhall’s 1960s extension for screenings.

The cinema couple hoped to open in time for the release of the Mamma Mia sequel, which came out last week, but said things had taken slightly longer than planned.

Mrs Wiper explained: "There was no particular reason other than these things can take time to go through and we didn't want to spoil things by trying to rush it."

Plans have now gone in for the replacement of one fire escape stairs at the side of the building and reinstating the emergency exit door as well repairs to the roof and electrics.

The changes are described as 'low key' with 'light touch' refurbishment works to the interior of the building including masonry and glazing repairs as well as redecoration.

Mrs Wiper said: "We want to open as soon as possible but it is also about deciding on the most commercially viable date."

She added a launch date for the cinema would be announced in the next couple of weeks.

It follows the success of The Regal’s temporary cinema in the Unicorn Theatre in Checker Walk this winter, where almost 8,000 tickets had been sold.

The reopening of the building has also been a long fought for campaign by residents, with a petition launched last year call on the council to make the Abbey Hall available for public use again, which was signed by more than 2,000 people.

In the longer term the Abbey Hall is set to form part of a new ‘community hub’ in the town.

Oxfordshire County Council, which runs the library, and Abingdon Town Council, unveiled an agreement to work more closely to join up public services within the town earlier this year.