PLANS to convert Durham's cinema into a theme pub are being opposed by conservationists.

The City of Durham Trust is urging Durham City Council to refuse planning permission for the proposal for the Robins Cinema, North Road, by London-based Regent Inns.

The building has been used as a cinema for more than 60 years, but its owners say the prospect of a multiplex opening as part of the £21m Walkergate development will mean the end of the picture house.

Regent Inns is proposing to turn the building, a former miners' hall, into a nightspot, which will open until 2am.

The cinema is near two nightclubs and three pubs, which are popular venues on the weekend city drinking circuit.

Dr Douglas Pocock, trust secretary, said: "We have already sent in our objection to this plan.

"It will be a very large venue and they are applying for closing at 2am. We think there are enough of these nightspots in the city already, especially in North Road.

"North Road will become a kind of amusement ghetto with late-night revelling, which is not something we look forward to.

"It will be a neighbour to the existing clubs, and there is a Yates's Wine Lodge down the road, which would dearly love to lengthen its opening hours.

"There are reports that Regent Inns will put a dance floor in - there is certainly enough space for something like that. The number of drinkers it could hold would be vast.''

A spokeswoman for Regent Inns said: "We cannot make any comment about our plans."

Two years ago, Durham City Council rejected Yates's Wine Lodges' plans to turn the former Archibalds store in North Road into a bar, because of fears of increased trouble, but the company won on appeal