Today's journey into the Advertiser's archives sees us travel back 15 years to news of a planned major investment in a former cinema in Helensburgh.

A great deal has happened since this proposal was unveiled – not least that the plans to reintroduce a cinema to the building never materialised – but the plan still makes for fascinating reading 15 years on.

Here's how we reported the news in the Advertiser on January 15, 2004...

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HOLLYWOOD is set to return to Helensburgh after plans for a multi-million pound cinema were unveiled.

The Advertiser can exclusively reveal that a combined cinema, restaurant and dance and drama studio has been proposed for the site of the crumbling La Scala cinema building on James Street.

The proposal, which could see up to 40 new jobs being created, will include a single screen theatre to seat approximately 140 people, a themed bistro restaurant containing original movie props, costumes and memorabilia and a purpose built studio for hire by groups and organisations.

Although plans are still at an early stage, the local businessman behind them, who wishes to remain anonymous, has already secured financial backing for what he describes as a ‘dream and a vision’ for Helensburgh.

He said: “The simple reason for this is that Helensburgh has so much heritage with its connections with John Logie Baird, Charles Rennie Mackintosh and Deborah Kerr.

“It’s such a shame that there is a building sitting, rotting away, that could be put to good use for local people and hopefully visitors.

“I know that in this age of DVD, multiplex cinemas and the Internet, the town could not sustain a 600-seat cinema but a smaller cinema might be a different matter.”