A NEW cinema, theatre, up-market bar and restaurant and some new housing is the exciting prospect which could transform the centre of Tidworth.

Garrison estates officer Richard Amery told a meeting of the Tidworth Community Forum that discussions are taking place with the owner of the 'Roadhouse' site on Pennings Road with a view to providing the new facilities at that location and on adjacent land in MoD ownership.

The cinema facility could follow the pattern of the successful leisure centre which is military-owned and used by the soldiers during much of the working day but available to the whole community at other times.

"There is a possibility of a new garrison theatre as the old garrison theatre is past its sell-by date," said Mr Amery.

"It could have a cinema facility as we will need it as up-to-date as possible for our briefings.

"We might wish to market it as a cinema out of working hours.

"That way we could get the best of both worlds as a cinema might not viable on its own.

"There would also be some housing on the site as well as sufficient car parking."

Consultants are looking at the possibilities at the moment and they would also take into account the need to improve views of the church.

While the old Garrison Theatre has had a star-studded past its position behind the wire has constrained its use by civilian audiences in recent years because of the need to maintain security.

The new theatre, however, could be close enough to the wire to ensure sufficient security but would be available for much greater public use.

If the proposal comes to fruition it will mark the latest in a series of major multi-million pound developments in the town of Tidworth since the publication of the Shankland-Cox report in the early 1990s which identified the shortcomings of the town.