Mobile cinema in drive to put Oban back in the frame

SCOTLAND'S only mobile cinema rolls into Oban next week to support a campaign to bring a permanent picture house back to the town.

The Screen Machine, which tours the Highlands and islands, will show current releases, including the Oscar-nominated The King's Speech starring Colin Firth, for four days.

The Highland Theatre, the town's only cinema, went into receivership last July. The newly-formed Oban Phoenix group wants to raise 200,000 to buy the building back from Santander Bank and operate it as a community venture.

Ron Inglis, director of Regional Screen Scotland, the development agency which promotes cinema in rural areas, said: "We are delighted to be able to bring our unique mobile cinema to Oban and to support the campaign to get a full-time cinema back in Oban."