Wellingborough Council asked people what they would like to see in the town as part of plans for a major redevelopment, which includes 12,800 new homes and extra shopping space by 2021.
Mike Hayburn, planning policy manager at Wellingborough Counc
il, said: "During the consultation on the future of Wellingborough town centre there were a lot of people saying they would like a multiplex cinema.
"Our consultants asked all the major cinema companies if they would consider coming to Wellingborough and they said they said that a cinema is not viable in a town with a population of less than 100,000 people.
"Wellingborough has 75,500 people, and by 2021 this is expected to have risen to 93,000. It is not that we don't want a cinema, if any cinema provider wanted to come to Wellingborough that would be welcomed, but it is unlikely in the immediate future."
Georgina Harris, who is retired and lives in Wellingborough, said: "I think we need a cinema here.
"Somewhere close to the centre of town would be ideal because then parents could take their children there on the bus or on foot.
"The nearest one is Kettering. If you haven't got a car it is very difficult to get to."
John Earl, curator of the Northamptonshire Film Archive Trust, said: "Wellingborough used to have a cinema when it was a town of 20,000 people, so now there are 70,000 people I don't see why a cinema wouldn't be well supported.
"My only concern would be the idea should be tested out first rather than risking building a cinema that will make a loss.
"There could be new films once a month at the bingo hall, which used to be a cinema, to see what the turnout is like.
"We get about 85 people at our film nights, but they are old films so it's a bit different.
"I am sure my grandchildren and the rest of the family would use a cinema as they travel to Kettering at the moment, but travel is expensive."
Lewis Hayes, a pupil at Sir Christopher Hatton School, said: "The cinema is my favourite suggestion for Wellingborough.
"That's because having one in the town would mean that we wouldn't have to travel to Kettering."
The full article contains 416 words and appears in Northants Evening Telegraph newspaper.
