WETHERSPOON bosses have scrapped £5 million plans to turn a listed cinema, which was one of the largest in Essex, into a new pub.

The chain has announced it has appointed estate agents CBRE and Savills to sell the historic State Cinema in Grays.

The former cinema was constructed in 1938 by the famous architect FGM Chancellor and was one of the largest single-screen cinemas within Essex, with more than 2,200 seats.

It was also featured in the Who Framed Roger Rabbit film shorty before it closed in 1988 after 50 years, owing to nearby multiplex competition.

A Wetherspoon spokesman said: “The property was acquired in 2015 with proposals to convert into a pub in the heart of the town.

“Having achieving planning to convert to a pub in 2018 work commenced in 2019, but halted due to the appointed contractor’s insolvency. Before a new contractor could be appointed Covid struck, and the conversion works were halted.

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“Wetherspoon has reluctantly concluded it no longer wishes to continue with the project and has appointed CBRE and Savills to market the Freehold Grade II* listed property.”

It has been through a variety of uses since including Charleston’s wine bar and nightclub which operated there throughout the 1990s.

The site was then purchased by Morrisons in June 2000 the year the property was listed, and planning was granted for a modern store on the site of the former car park.

The premises was then sold in 2006 to a Thurrock-based investor who was given planning for a Pentecostal Church before subsequently being sold again.

Paul Breen, director at Savills, said: “The premises are superbly located in the heart of the town centre, and their size and scale offers the opportunity for a wide variety of uses in such a prominent location while also benefitting from being immediately adjacent to the thriving Morrisons supermarket “ Toby Hall, Senior Director at CBRE added: “Whilst the building does require some investment to restore it back to its former glory, The State provides a unique opportunity for an owner/occupier to secure an historic landmark within Grays town centre.”