BRIDPORT'S Palace Cinema has been granted an entertainment licence which paves the way for its reopening.

The 24-hour entertainment licence comes with conditions following a compromise with objectors from an old people's home in South Street.

Objectors, cinema owner Peter Hitchin and West Dorset District Council officers met to see if the two sides could come to some agreement.

To try and alleviate fears of loud music disturbing people in Folly Mill Lodge, Mr Hitchin must have an acoustic engineer's report approved and complied with before he can play amplified music.

"I could play non-amplified music and use it for a lot of other things, it just precludes you playing loud music," he said.

"I could still play the films as I understand it, but I am not even sure about that as it's amplified.

"I am very happy about it being licenced but I don't want to give the impression that anyone can use it yet because we still have to wait for those other conditions.

"It was a good compromise that will ultimately lead to the reopening of the cinema but I don't know how long - how long is a piece of string? There are always lots of conditions you have to comply with."

As well as the acoustic report Mr Hitchin has to wait until the council's building control officers approve the structural repairs.

Once that is done there is a lot of redecoration to be done and Mr Hitchin plans to put a new roof at the front.

Ryan Bransome, senior licensing officer, said: "After a series of mediation meetings and liaison with those who had made representations, I am pleased to announce that all of the issues have now been resolved and agreed by all.

"These conditions will mean that the building can only be used after the safety of the building has reached the satisfaction of the council."

The licence will now be granted complete with those conditions and will come into effect on November 24.