THE new owner of the Palace Cinema in Devizes has promised cheap tickets and a £200,000 makeover of the premises.

Adam Cunard took over the cinema in the Market Place on Friday and has told film fans they will be treated like royalty. He hopes there will eventually be three screens.

Mr Cunard, who is managing director of Picturedrome Cinemas said: "We are delighted to be coming to the historic town of Devizes.

Picturedrome Cinemas is known for its quality of service and comfort as well as its low prices. The Palace will be no exception, with low cost prices of only £5 for adults and £3.50 for children.

"This provides excellent value, and makes a trip to the cinema extremely affordable – something we are sure residents of the area will appreciate.”

He said the auditorium will be fully upgraded and refurbished with new 4K digital projection and 7.1 Dolby surround sound, new leatherette seating with enhanced leg room, air conditioning, new luxury toilets, larger screen and improved shop and bar.

Steve Reynolds, a director of the company and film booker, said: “It’s great to announce this new site for the company. Picturedrome Cinemas prides itself on providing good quality, first run mainstream films for families.

"The Palace Cinema dates from 1912 and has been run for the past 20 years by Angel Cinemas, the latest in a continuous line of independent operators.

"That independence will continue under Picturedrome Cinemas. Based in the West Sussex resort of Bognor Regis, the company's purchase of the cinema will take its total number of sites to eight.

"Each has seen significant investment in recent years. The upgrade at the Palace Cinema will see extensive work carried out in the next few months."

There are plans to restore the original features of the cinema including bringing back the grand entrance stair case and lighting

Mr Cunard said: "Over the next year, Picturedrome Cinemas will be working with the local authority to create two more cinema screens in the old bingo hall area to restore as much as possible of the original Art Deco interior.

"Research will also be carried out as to ways of enhancing and improving the external look of the building."

The cinema was first known as the Picture Palace and then became the Electric Palace. In the late 1920s, it was enlarged to seat 900.

In the 1970’s bingo was played on some nights and it was acquired by Zetters in 1975 and converted into a bingo club in the stalls and a 253 seat cinema in the circle. It was operated by Miles Byrne until his death in 1986. Six years later, it was taken over by Steven Wischusen until 1992 when it became part of the small Robins Cinema circuit run by John Angel.

The cinema will now be entering the 21st century by having a app for online booking.