Ground floor of The Criterion could be open by 2025 following estimated £1.4m revamp

The former cinema, in Forton Road, was initially opened in 1912 as a cinema and theatre before becoming a bingo hall until 2020 when it closed its doors. Gosport Borough Council bought the venue for £600,000 back in 2022 with the intention of turning it into a multi-purpose live entertainment venue.

An initial assessment by Counterculture has outlined that the ground floor of the building could potentially be re-opened before the end of 2025 at an estimated cost of £1.4m.

The report was discussed at Gosport Borough Council's Policy & Organisation Board meeting which took place on September 30 and was a closed doors meeting. The proposed plans have previously received scrutiny following the £20,000 that has been spent on the business case study report and a further £35,000 of taxpayers’ cash which will be spent appointing the consultant.

The Board has now agreed to progress to the next stage which will involve commissioning Counterculture to develop a full business case, subject to contract. This case will include detailed plans for the internal layout of the building, and options for setting up an independent community organisation to manage the building and access external sources of funding.

Councillor Peter Chegwyn, Leader of Gosport Borough Council said: "This is excellent news and a major step forward in bringing the historic Criterion building back into use as a multi-purpose live entertainment venue for Gosport.

"We are progressing towards our vision of providing Gosport residents with a new cinema, theatre and live entertainment venue - which should also support shops, pubs, cafés and other businesses in the surrounding area."

The full business case will be brought back to a future meeting for approval as plans progress.

For more information about The Criterion, click here.