The Kennet Valley Arts Trust, originally set up to pursue the idea of a theatre and arts centre in Marlbor-ough, has donated £7,000 for the purchase of a cinema projector for the town hall.

The town council together with KVAT and St John’s School has set up Marlbor-ough Downs Movies to bring cinema to the town and showings have been held at the school’s Theatre on the Hill.

As part of ongoing improvements to the 110 year old town hall the council has upgraded the stage lighting, installed a five-metre wide retractable screen and is in the process of getting black-out blinds for the assembly room windows so that films can be shown in the afternoons or on light evenings.

The screen can also be used to show live television and townspeople were able to watch the royal wedding at the end of May on it.

Now with the new digital projector cinema films can be shown in the hall without the need to hire equipment.

Brigadier John Cornell, chairman of KVAT, confirmed that the trust was waiting for its original planning consent, which has expired, to be renewed before pursuing the arts centre plan.

He said: “The trust is seeking to play a pre-eminent part in providing cinema in three locations in Marlborough, at St John’s School theatre for children; at the town hall for families and at the Rabley Arts Centre for more limited productions.”

The mayor, Alexander Kirk Wilson, said: “It is immensely generous of KVAT to donate the money for the projector – it’s a wonderful thing they have done.”