An initiative to get new operators to take over Brentwood's ABC cinema has failed.

Brentwood Town Forum wrote to 17 cinema companies asking them to take over the cinema in Chapel High. But none of them think the project would be viable.

So the chances of Brentwood having its own cinema again look bleak. The ABC shut in August after the discovering of cancer-causing asbestos in the ceiling during a routine inspection.

Town Forum chairman David Kendall urged operators Odeon to reopen it as soon as possible. Then there was a dispute between Odeon and building owners Axa Sun Life as to who would pay to get the asbestos removed.

But in November Odeon decided to shut the cinema for good.

Cllr Kendall approached both big and small cinema operators asking them to take over the building.

He said: "I had a sympathetic response. However for various reasons they all held the view that it was not viable to open a new cinema in Brentwood at the moment.

"Although work has now started to deal with the asbestos problem, it now seems likely that some other use will be made of the building." Cllr Kendall added: "I am very sad that Brentwood will probably never have a cinema in the town again.

"I know this news will come as a great disappointment to many former users, particularly the young and the elderly. While my efforts to get a new cinema operator to come to Brentwood were unsuccessful, I am glad I tried."

Checks by Brentwood Borough Council environmental officials on the asbestos showed that users had not been exposed to any risk.

Film enthusiasts can take some comfort from the fact that a new 16 screen multiplex cinema is opening on the old brewery site in Romford next month. It will be the largest in Greater London.

Doomed: The ABC cinema, Brentwood

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.