A PETITION protesting against the possible closure of a North-East cinema was handed over yesterday.

Nearly 2,000 people signed the petition, objecting to the proposal to convert The Robins cinema, in North Road, Durham City, into a bar.

Pub chain Regent Inns is fighting to turn the rented building into an Australian theme pub and on October 28 will appeal against a decision by magistrates not to grant a drinks licence.

But the threat to one of the region's last remaining independent cinemas has spurred staff at Taylor's Newsagents into action.

The shop, situated opposite the cinema, began a petition and has collected 1,900 signatures in two weeks. Yesterday, manageress Sharon McCourt presented the petition to Durham City MP Gerry Steinberg at his constituency office.

She said: "We've had people coming in off the streets especially to sign the petition because they've read about it in the newspapers.

"We've had lots of phone calls from people saying 'I can't get into Durham, can you put my name on it?'"

Mr Steinberg said it would be a "great shame" if the cinema closed and he would make sure the petition was presented to judges at Durham Crown Court, where the appeal hearing will take place.

The cinema is believed to have been in Durham since at least the 1930s. Mr Steinberg said his mother would regularly visit the cinema when she was a girl.

If the theme pub bid is successful, people will have to travel to the multiplex cinemas at the MetroCentre, in Gateshead, or the Odeon, at Darlington.