At last week's meeting of the St Neots Town Council Cinema Advisory Group, town clerk Phillip Devonald informed the committee that the response from operators had been negative, with none showing any interest in providing the much-desired leisure facility on a site which will become available next year.

The thumbs down scenario comes despite operators being invited by Huntingdonshire District Council to put forward business proposals outlining their plans to develop the district council-owned land, which is currently home to the old fire station and recycling centre in Huntingdon Street.

Cllr Derek Giles told the Town Crier the response – or lack of it – was very disappointing'.

He said: "The feed-back has been very negative with no expression of interest at all. We have done a great deal of work on promoting this. In January this year the district council gave the okay and agreed to look at business plans for the site.

"The town clerk immediately wrote to all the major players in the cinema business and not one came back to us."

Cllr Giles added: "My personal view is the current financial credit squeeze is not helping, with banks refusing to lend money."

However, Cllr Giles explained that 'on a brighter note' a couple of operators had expressed interest in operating a two or three screen cinema from a totally different site."

The councillor refused to divulge the site, saying: "There is certainly interest, but obviously, because it is commercially sensitive, we will be keeping that under wraps for the present."

He added: "Although disappointed with the lack of interest in developing the Huntingdon Street site, we are still beavering away to that end and have certainly not given up hope."

Cllr Giles said the town clerk would present a report to the full council when they next meet.