A cinema in Canterbury which has been shut since the Covid pandemic struck will not be reopening, bosses have confirmed.

The two-screen Odeon in St George’s Place - off the city's ring-road - closed its doors in March 2020 following the outbreak of the virus, and was later used as a vaccination clinic.

The chain had hoped it could reopen when internal construction work was completed, although a specific date was never confirmed.

But now it has announced it will not be reopening.

A spokesman for the firm said: "We are disappointed to confirm the closure of our Canterbury cinema.

"This was a very difficult decision and followed a thorough assessment of all available options.

"Supporting the Odeon Canterbury team is our number one priority and we would like to thank our colleagues for all their incredible work over the years at the cinema."

Odeon did not explain why the branch had closed and which "available options" were assessed.

Reacting to the news, a spokesman for Canterbury Business Improvement District (Bid) said: "We are very sorry to hear that Odeon Canterbury will not be reopening following the pandemic.

"The cinema has been entertaining city residents since it was built in 1933 and we look forward to seeing its evolution under new ownership, given its excellent central location.

"In the meantime, we have three cinemas for visitors to enjoy, thanks to Curzon Riverside, Curzon Canterbury Westgate, and the Gulbenkian, who offer a wide variety of films."

Meanwhile, city councillor Matthew Jones-Roberts (Con), who also runs the neighbouring Tokyo Tea Rooms, said he was "sad to hear" Canterbury is losing Odeon.

"The utilising of the building as a vaccine centre was a great decision and it was important that the building continued to be used during the pandemic even though it could not fully recover and reopen as a business," he said.

"One positive is we are pleased that we have a new Curzon cinema at the Riverside site to ensure that residents in Canterbury still have a local cinema to access.

"We look forward to engaging with our new neighbours as we continue to deliver late night entertainment in Canterbury.

The Curzon Riverside is a new multiplex cinema hosting a bar and pizzeria which will finally open its doors on Friday.

'This was a very difficult decision and followed a thorough assessment of all available options...'

The five-screen theatrehouse will launch as the anchor tenant of the long-awaited Riverside leisure complex in Canterbury.

It will be the national chain's second venue in the city, having opened its first in Westgate Hall Road in 2014.

Alongside the new cinema, there will be a bar and pizzeria boasting "an eclectic menu of cocktails, stone-baked sourdough pizzas and small plates", as well as wine and craft beer.

Bosses describe the venue as "a luxurious place to spend an evening, whether watching a film, sipping on a cocktail or tucking into a pizza".

Curzon CEO Philip Knatchbull said: "We are thrilled to be expanding our presence in Canterbury with this stunning new destination venue.

"Canterbury Riverside is a sophisticated, contemporary cinema that will showcase our cutting-edge technology, always consistent customer service, and excellent food and drink offering."

The opening of the £115m Riverside complex has faced a series of delays since construction work began on the old Serco waste depot site in 2019.

Last year, plans were announced by Odeon to install security shutters at the entrance to the Canterbury cinema in a bid to prevent anti-social behaviour.

Proposals for the roller blockade on the external entrance lobby - accessed via St George’s Place - were submitted to the city council’s planning department.

But the application attracted objections from concerned neighbours who feared the shutters would do the opposite.