AN epic 20-year struggle to bring a multi-screen cinema to Falmouth has finally come to an end after plans to convert the old Drill Hall into an entertainment centre were given the go-ahead.

The twists and turns of the saga to bring a commercial cinema to the town centre have been worthy of a great feel-good movie similar to the type that will start to be shown once the multiplex is completed.

The Drill Hall in Berkeley Vale is to be transformed internally into a five-screen cinema showing up-to-the-minute films, although the outside of the grade two listed building will remain largely unchanged.

The Phoenix Falmouth, as it will be known - to represent a new facility rising from the old Drill Hall - will be operated by the Merlin Cinemas chain, which already has eight other branches across Cornwall, including Helston, and Devon.

Geoff Greaves, from Merlin Cinemas, said: "We've wanted to come to Falmouth for a number of years. We are delighted to have got a positive outcome to our planning application and will now move on as quickly as possible with converting the building in order to provide a modern cinema facility for the people of Falmouth - many of whom have shown tremendous support for our efforts."

Mr Greaves said the aim was to be up and running by Christmas or just after. There will be two main screens to seat around 150 people each, as well as three smaller screens and a cafe bar.

"This is a very exciting project for us and hopefully it will not be too long before we can welcome people to this new venue for films in Falmouth, as well as giving a new lease of life to this important landmark building," he said.

Although Falmouth currently has a small one screen cinema at The Poly, where films have been shown since 1910, it shows mainly arthouse and foreign films. If people in Falmouth want to see more mainstream commercial films when they are released they have had to travel to Truro, a round trip of over 20 miles, or to Redruth.

The town once boasted three cinemas, the Odeon which closed to make way for Tesco in 1971, St Georges which closed in 1948 and the Grand which closed in 1986.

Falmouth has since received considerable criticism as being one of the county's major tourist areas and largest towns, yet without a commercial cinema.

Over the years a number of proposals have come and gone without success, the most recent being for a multi-plex cinema which was to have been incorporated within the maritime museum and events square complex. That then fell through.

At that time the Rev Stephen Tudgey, priest in charge of the King Charles the Martyr Church, was a vocal campaigner to bring a cinema to Falmouth and has long supported the idea of a cinema in Falmouth.

"We definitely need a cinema in Falmouth. I think the Drill Hall is a good location and I wish the planners well for this project," said Mr Tudgey.

A planning application for the conversion of the Drill Hall into a cinema came before Falmouth town council in March, when members of the planning committee unanimously gave their backing to the scheme.

The final go-ahead was given last Friday, at a meeting of Carrick district council.

Falmouth mayor Mike Varney said: "This has always been an aspiration of the town council. We are now balancing the town up. Where we have had a lot at the other end of town, it now brings people up to this end - and we can stop people getting into their cars and going to Redruth and Truro. It should be good for the local economy. It's fantastic."

The Drill Hall has had a chequered history and was once to have become a nightclub. It has been used by a number of retail outlets for many years as well as a market.

n Are you pleased the Drill Hall is to become a cinema or would you have preferred to see it used for an alternative purpose? Have your say at www.thepacket.co.uk