Halstead has been dealt another blow in its quest to bring a cinema back to the town.

The Empire Theatre Trust, which manages the theatre, had hoped to buy a second hand projector, which it had estimated to cost around £20,000.

But the projector turned out to be a very early digital version, which would have been unsuitable for the theatre.

Applications for grants to Essex County Council have therefore been pushed back until after Christmas while new costs are worked out.

Martyn Prince, chairman of The Empire Theatre Trust, said: “We have had a bit of a set back.

“We haven’t done the forms for the grant as we now don’t know what money we need because we were hoping to buy the second hand equipment but are now probably going to have to look at new.

“We are still trying to work out all the new costs but are hoping to do this by Easter.

“We are probably looking at £40,000 for the new equipment.

“It’s all on a back burner at the moment so we are getting Christmas out of the way and then will get our teeth stuck into it again.

“But we’re quite hopeful the cinema will get further on soon.”