MORE than 50 businesses in Cirencester and the town's Chamber of Commerce have pledged their support for the Brewery Court cinema development.

Everyman will run the new multi-screen complex in the heart of the town if the Wildmoor Properties Ltd development is approved by Cotswold District Council on Wednesday.

In an open letter to the council’s planning committee, the businesses, which include Made by Bob, Crocodile and Octavia’s bookshop, urge councillors to back the plans to "transform Cirencester into the Cotswolds leading social, cultural and leisure destination".

The businesses claim the scheme is vital to the town’s future both economically and socially.

And another letter of support, from the town’s Chamber of Commerce, claims the development will result in people spending more time and money in the town.

Anthony Flynn, chair of Cirencester’s Chamber of Commerce, said: “We believe that the expected benefits both from a financial as well as a recreational perspective, in terms of the future of Cirencester, clearly outweigh any negative aspects, perceived or otherwise.”

Oli Christie, founder and CEO of Cirencester based mobile games creator Neon Play, said: “We have to work incredibly hard to persuade people to come here, rather than London or Bristol, and the lack of a cinema is a real issue. Nearly every town has one, but we don’t… There is very little to do, especially for the young and this is not healthy for a potentially thriving town."

The entire development, including a cinema, six shops, four restaurants and student accommodation, is expected to cost around £48million.

The development will provide about 150 new jobs, about 50 of which will be full-time.

Wildmoor expects this to boost the local economy by more than £10 million over the first five years in terms of salaries.

The cinema will have 387 seats, with three larger screen rooms each taking more than 100 people. The fourth screen will have 36 seats and will be available to hire as a private screening room.

If plans are approved the project would enter a detailed consultation phase with all parties affected by the plans able to have their say.

Once work begins, it is hoped to take one year for the shell of the development to be completed. Then the individual businesses will step in to complete their own work.

The initial investment in the development of the scheme will cost more than £20million. Once it is up and running, it will bring in £28million a year.

However there are still businesses and residents who believe the cinema is not suitable for its planned location, and Meg Blunsdon has collected almost 1,000 signatures on a petition which will be handed to CDC.

One of the directors of Jungle Boutique, Hilary Stewart, said the scheme would mean the loss of many independent shops.

The revised plans also includes six new large shops, four restaurants or cafes, student accommodation, and a facelift to pedestrian areas.