THE owner of Durham's only cinema says it will have to close, regardless of plans to turn it into an Australian theme pub.

City-based property company Troveworth bought the building that houses the Robins Cinema, and neighbouring properties, in North Road 11 years ago for £500,000.

But it claims that the cinema, which has been operated by Bill Freedman since the original Robins company went bankrupt in 1999, is no longer viable.

About 2,000 people have signed a petition to save the cinema.

It will be presented to next month's Durham Crown Court appeal over the drinks licence for the 700-capacity Walkabout pub planned for the building.

The pub, proposed by Regent Inns, has planning permission and a public entertainment licence despite the fears of opponents that it will add to late-night trouble in North Road.

The managing director of Troveworth, Audrey Alliston, said in a statement that the cinema had a heavily subsidised rent.

"If a commercial rent were to be charged and the necessary repairs carried out to the building to bring it up to acceptable modern standards, the operation would not be viable," she said.

Trade was also affected by the "superior facilities offered by the multiplex cinemas within the region''.

This led to major operators passing up the chance to operate the multiplex originally proposed for Durham City Council's Walkergate development but now dropped from the scheme.

"It is also significant that no major cinema operator has approached Troveworth Ltd with a view to running a cinema from the premises," said Ms Alliston.

"In such circumstances, there necessarily has to be a limit to the ability and willingness of Troveworth Ltd to subsidise so heavily continued use of the building as a cinema for the relatively small number of Durham residents who patronise the cinema regularly.''

She said it was open to others to look for alternative sites in the city for a cinema, including the Gala Theatre.

Cinema manager Brenda Ryder said: "They are entitled to say whatever they want in reply to all the good publicity we have had for the cinema.

"We'll have to wait and see what happens.

"Hopefully, we will be staying here but we just don't know.''