Rescue the Regent campaigners are calling on the people of Deal to turn out in force at a public meeting to air views about preserving the iconic seafront building.

It will be held at Deal Town Hall at 7.30pm on Thursday, April 15, and mayors, district and town councillors from the Dover, Deal and Sandwich areas are being invited.

Gillian McCutcheon, from the Rescue the Regent group, said: "Anyone is welcome to attend.

"We need the people of Deal to turn up to hear our plans for the building and tell us about their ideas for the Regent too.

"It is most important to show the owners, who are the district council, that the town does not want to lose the Regent to developers."

The detached structure in Beach Street has a distinctive blue-topped entrance and the bingo hall use ended in January 2009. It was previously a cinema.

There are worries the building could be demolished to make way for homes, following a similar development plan at the derelict Quarterdeck opposite Deal Pier.

Rescue the Regent's business plan outlines an idea to reopen as a performing arts and cultural centre and has to send its documents to the district council by April 14.

Another business plan has been prepared by former employees of Flicks, the Queen Street cinema that closed about three years ago.

Allan Thomsett is heading the project which aims to bring blockbuster films back to Deal by opening as a cinema seven days a week.

The proposals aim to create two 140-seater cinemas and a third screen for community use, either by schools or for showing big sports event or recordings of music concerts.

Mr Thomsett said the plans did not include any theatre use as the Astor was now successfully reopening as a community theatre.